Corpus Hermeticum - The First Book

Hermes Trismegistus

1-1. O my Son, write this first Book, both for Humanity's sake, and
for Piety towards God.

1-2. For there can be no Religion more true or just, than to know the
things that are; and to acknowledge thanks for all things, to him
that made them, which thing I shall not cease continually to do.

1-3. What then should a man do, O Father, to lead his life well,
seeing there is nothing here true ?

1-4. Be Pious and Religious, O my Son, for he that doth so, is the
best and highest Philosopher; and with- out Philosophy, it is
impossible ever to attain to the height and exactness of Piety or
Religion.

1-5. But he that shall learn and study the things that are, and how
they are ordered and governed, and by whom and for what cause, or to
what end, will acknowledge thanks to the Workman as to a good
Father, an excellent Nurse and a faithful Steward, and he that gives
thanks shall be Pious or Religious, and he that is Religious shall
know both where the truth is, and what it is, and learning that, he
will be yet more and more Religious.

1-6. For never, O Son, shall or can that Soul which while it is in
the Body lightens and lifts up itself to know and comprehend that
which is Good and True, slide back to the contrary; for it is
infinitely enamoured thereof. and forgetteth all Evils; and when it
hath learned and known its Father and progenitor it can no more
Apostatize or depart from that Good.

1-7. And let this, O Son, be the end of Religion and Piety; whereunto
when thou art once arrived, thou shalt both live well, and die
blessedly, whilst thy Soul is not ignorant whether it must return
and fly back again.

1-8. For this only, O Son, is the way to the Truth, which our
Progenitors travelled in; and by which, making their Journey, they
at length attained to the Good. It is a Venerable way, and plain,
but hard and difficult for the Soul to go in that is in the Body.

1-9. For first must it war against its own self, and after much
Strife and Dissention it must be overcome of one part; for the
Contention is of one against two, whilst it flies away and they
strive to hold and detain it.

1-10. But the victory of both is not like; for the one hasteth to
that which is Good, but the other is a neighbour to the things that
are Evil; and that which is Good, desireth to be set at Liberty; but
the things that are Evil, love Bondage and Slavery.

1-11. And if the two parts be overcome, they become quiet, and are
content to accept of it as their Ruler; but if the one be overcome
of the two, it is by them led and carried to be punished by its
being and continuance here.

1-12. This is, O Son, the Guide in the way that leads thither for
thou must first forsake the Body before thy end, and get the victory
in this Contention and Strifeful life, and when thou hast overcome.
return.

1-13. But now, O my Son, I will by Heads run through the things that
are: understand thou what I say, and remember what thou hearest.

1-14. All things that are, are moved; only that which is not, is
unmovable.

1-15. Every Body is changeable.

1-16. Not every Body is dissolvable.

1-17. Some Bodies are dissolvable.

1-18. Every living thing is not mortal.

1-19. Not every living thing is immortal.

1-20. That which may be dissolved is also corruptible.

1-21. That which abides always is unchangeable.

1-22. That which is unchangeable is eternal.

1-23. That which is always made is always corrupted.

1-24. That which is made but once, is never corrupted, neither
becomes any other thing.

1-25. First, God; Secondly, the World; Thirdly, Man.

1-26. The World for Man, Man for God.

1-27. Of the Soul, that part which is Sensible is mortal, but that
which is Reasonable is immortal.

1-28. Every essence is immortal.

1-29. Every essence is unchangeable.

1-30. Every thing that is, is double.

1-31. None of the things that are stand still.

1-32. Not all things are moved by a Soul, but every thing that is, is
moved by a Soul.

1-33. Every thing that suffers is Sensible, every thing that is
Sensible suffereth.

1-34. Every thing that is sad rejoiceth also, and is a mortal living
Creature.

1-35. Not every thing that joyeth is also sad, but is an eternal
living thing.

1-36. Not every Body is sick; every Body that is sick is dissolvable.

1-37. The Mind in God.

1-38. Reasoning (or disputing or discoursing) in Man,

1-39. Reason in the Mind.

1-40. The Mind is void of suffering.

1-41. No thing in a Body true.

1-42. All that is incorporeal, is void of Lying.

1-43. Every thing that is made is corruptible.

1-44. Nothing good upon Earth, nothing evil in Heaven.

1-45. God is good, Man is evil.

1-46. Good is voluntary, or of its own accord.

1-47. Evil is involuntary or against its will.

1-48. The Gods choose good things, as good things.

1-49. Time is a Divine thing.

1-50. Law is Humane.

1-51. Malice is the nourishment of the World.

1-52. Time is the Corruption of Man.

1-53. Whatsoever is in Heaven is unalterable.

1-54. All upon Earth is alterable.

1-55. Nothing in Heaven is servanted, nothing upon Earth free.

1-56. Nothing unknown in Heaven, nothing known upon Earth.

1-57. The things upon Earth communicate not with those in Heaven.

1-58. All things in Heaven are unblameable, all things upon Earth are
subject to Reprehension.

1-59. That which is immortal, is not mortal: that which is mortal is
not immortal.

1-60. That which is sown, is not always begotten; but that which is
begotten always, is sown.

1-61. Of a dissolvable Body, there are two Times, one from sowing to
generation, one from generation to death.

1-62. Of an everlasting Body, the time is only from the Generation.

1-63. Dissolvable Bodies are increased and diminished,

1-64. Dissolvable matter is altered into contraries; to wit,
Corruption and Generation, but Eternal matter into its self, and its
like.

1-65. The Generation of Man is Corruption, the Corruption of Man is
the beginning of Generation.

1-66. That which off-springs or begetteth another, is itself an
offspring or begotten by another.

1-67. Of things that are, some are in Bodies, some in their Ideas.

1-68. Whatsoever things belong to operation or working, are in a
Body.

1-69. That which is immortal, partakes not of that which is mortal.

1-70. That which is mortal, cometh not into a Body immortal, but that
which is immortal, cometh into that which is mortal.

1-71. Operations or Workings are not carried upwards, but descend
downwards.

1-72. Things upon Earth do nothing advantage those in Heaven, but all
things in Heaven do profit and advantage the things upon Earth.

1-73. Heaven is capable and a fit receptacle of everlasting Bodies,
the Earth of corruptible Bodies.

1-74. The Earth is brutish, the Heaven is reasonable or rational.

1-75. Those things that are in Heaven are subjected or placed under
it, but the things on Earth, are placed upon it.

1-76. Heaven is the first Element.

1-77. Providence is Divine Order.

1-78. Necessity is the Minister or Servant of Providence.

1-79. Fortune is the carriage or effect of that which is without
Order; the Idol of operation, a lying fantasy or opinion.

1-80. What is God? The immutable or unalterable Good.

1-81. What is Man? An unchangeable Evil.

1-82. If thou perfectly remember these Heads, thou canst not forget
those things which in more words I have largely expounded unto thee;
for these are the Contents or Abridgment of them.

1-83. Avoid all Conversation with the multitude or common People, for
I would not have thee subject to Envy, much less to be ridiculous
unto the many.

1-84. For the like always takes to itself that which is like, but the
unlike never agrees with the unlike: such Discourses as these have
very few Auditors, and peradventure very few will have, but they
have something peculiar unto themselves.

1-85. They do rather sharpen and whet evil men to their
maliciousness, therefore it behoveth to avoid the multitude and take
heed of them as not understanding the virtue and power of the things
that are said.

1-86. How dost Thou mean, O Father?

1-87. Thus, O Son, the whole Nature and Composition of those living
things called Men, is very prone to Maliciousness, and is very
familiar, and as it were nourished with it, and therefore is
delighted with it. Now this wight if it shall come to learn or
know, that the world was once made, and all things are done
according to Providence and Necessity, Destiny, or Fate, bearing
Rule over all: Will he not be much worse than himself, despising
the whole because it was made. And if he may lay the cause of evil
upon Fate or Destiny, he will never abstain from any evil work.

1-88. Wherefore we must look warily to such kind of people, that
being in ignorance, they may be less evil for fear of that which is
hidden and kept secret.

Corpus Hermeticum -The Second Book.

called "Poemander."

2-1. My Thoughts being once seriously busied about the things that
are, and my Understanding lifted up, all my bodily Senses being
exceedingly holden back, as it is with them that are very heavy of
sleep, by reason either of fulness of meat, or of bodily labour. Me
thought I saw one of an exceeding great stature, and an infinite
greatness call me by my name, and say unto me, "What wouldest thou
Hear and See? or what wouldest thou Understand, to Learn, and Know!"

2-2. Then said I, " Who art Thou?" "I am," quoth he, "Poemander, the
mind of the Great Lord, the most Mighty and absolute Emperor: I
know what thou wouldest have, and I am always present with thee."

2-3. Then said I, "I would Learn the Things that art, and Understand
the Nature of them and know God." "How?" said he. I answered,
"That I would gladly hear.'' Then he, "Have me again in thy mind,
and whatsoever thou wouldst learn, I will teach thee."

2-4. When he had thus said, he was changed in his Idea or Form and
straightway in the twinkling of an eye, all things were opened unto
me: and I saw an infinite Sight, all things were become light, both
sweet and exceedingly pleasant; and I was wonderfully delighted in
the beholding it.

2-5. But after a little while, there was a darkness made in part,
coming down obliquely, fearful and hideous, which seemed unto me to
be changed into a Certain Moist Nature, unspeakably troubled, which
yielded a smoke as from fire; and from whence proceeded a voice
unutterable, and very mournful, but inarticulate, insomuch that it
seemed to have come from the Light.

2-6. Then from that Light, a certain Holy Word joined itself unto
Nature, and out flew the pure and unmixed Fire from the moist Nature
upward on high; it is exceeding Light, and Sharp, and Operative
withal. And the Air which was also light, followed the Spirit and
mounted up to Fire (from the Earth and the Water) insomuch that it
seemed to hang and depend upon it.

2-7. And the Earth and the Water stayed by themselves so mingled
together, that the Earth could not be seen for the Water, but they
were moved, because of the Spiritual Word that was carried upon
them.

2-8. Then said Poemander unto me, "Dost thou understand this Vision,
and what it meaneth?" "I shall know," said I. Then said he, "I am
that Light, the Mind, thy God, who am before that Moist Nature that
appeareth out of Darkness, and that Bright and Lightful Word from
the Mind is the Son of God."

2-9. "How is that?" quoth I. "Thus," replied he, "Understand it, That
which in thee Seeth and Heareth, the Word of the Lord, and the Mind,
the Father, God, Differeth not One from the Other, and the Unison of
these is Life." Trismegistus. "I thank thee." Pimander. "But
first conceive well the Light in thy mind and know it."

2-10. When he had thus said, for a long time me looked steadfastly
one upon the other, insomuch that I trembled at his Idea or Form.

2-11. But when he nodded to me, I beheld in my mind the Light that is
in innumerable, and the truly indefinite Ornament or World; and that
the Fire is comprehended or contained in or by a most great Power,
and constrained to keep its station.

2-12. These things I understood, seeing the word of Pimander; and
when I was mightily amazed, he said again unto me, "Hast thou seen
in thy mind that Archetypal Form, which was before the Interminated
and Infinite Beginning?" Thus Pimander to me. "But whence," quoth
I, "or whereof are the Elements of Nature made?" Pimander : "Of
the Will and Counsel of God; which taking the Word, and beholding
the beautiful World (in the Archetype thereof) imitated it, and so
made this World, by the principles and vital Seeds or Soul-like
productions of itself."

2-13. For the Mind being God, Male and Female, Life and Light,
brought forth by his Word; another Mind, the Workman: Which being
God of the Fire, and the Spirit, fashioned and formed seven other
Governors, which in their Circles contain the Sensible World, whose
Government or Disposition is called Fate or Destiny.

2-14. Straightway leaped out, or exalted itself front the downward
born Elements of God, the Word of God into the clean and pure
Workmanship of Nature, and was united to the Workman, Mind, for it
was Consubstantial; and so the downward born Elements of Nature were
left without Reason, that they might be the only Matter.

2-15. But the Workman, Mind, together with the Word, containing the
Circles and Whirling them about, turned round as a Wheel his own
Workmanships, and suffered them to be turned from an indefinite
Beginning to an undeterminable End; for they always begin where they
end.

2-16. And the Circulation or running round of these, as the Mind
willeth, out of the lower or downward-born Elements brought forth
unreasonable or brutish creatures, for they had no reason, the Air
flying things, and the Water such as swim.

2-17. And the Earth and the Water was separated, either from the
other, as the Mind would: and the Earth brought forth from herself
such Living Creatures as she had, four-footed and creeping Beasts,
wild and tame.

2-18. But the Father of all things, the Mind being Life and Light,
brought forth Man, like unto himself, whom he loved as his proper
Birth, for he was all beauteous, having the Image of his Father.

2-19. For indeed God was exceedingly enamoured of his own Form or
Shape, and delivered unto it all his own Workmanships. But he
seeing and understanding the Creation of the Workman in the whole,
would needs also himself Fall to Work, and so was separated from the
Father, being in the sphere of Generation or operation.

2-20. Having all Power, he considered the Operations or Workmanships
of the Seven; but they loved him, and every one made him partaker of
his own Order.

2-21. And he learning diligently and understanding their Essence, and
partaking their nature, resolved to pierce and break through the
Circumference of the Circles, and to understand the Power of him
that sits upon the Fire.

2-22. And having already all power of mortal things, of the Living,
and of the unreasonable Creatures of the World, stooped down and
peeped through the Harmony, and breaking through the strength of the
Circles, so shewed and made manifest the downward-born Nature, the
fair and beautiful Shape or Form of God.

2-23. Which when he saw, having in itself the unsatiable Beauty and
all the Operation of the Seven Governors, and the Form or Shape of
God, he Smiled for love, as if he had seen the Shape or Likeness in
the Water, or the shadow upon the Earth of the fairest Human form.

2-24. And seeing in the Water a shape, a shape like unto himself in
himself he loved it, and would cohabit with it; and immediately upon
the resolution, ensued the Operation, and brought forth the
unreasonable Image or Shape.

2-25. Nature presently laying hold of what it so much loved, did
wholly wrap herself about it, and they were mingled, for they loved
one another.

2-26. And for this cause, Man above all things that live upon Earth,
is double; Mortal because of his Body, and Immortal because of the
substantial Man: For being immortal, and having power of all
things, he yet suffers mortal things, and such as are subject to
Fate or Destiny.

2-27. And therefore being; above all Harmony, he is made and become a
servant to Harmony. And being Hermaphrodite, or Male and Female,
and watchful, he is governed by and subjected to a Father, that is
both Male and Female and watchful.

2-28. After these things, I said: "Thou art my Mind and I am in love
with Reason."

2-29. Then said Pimander, "This is the Mystery that to this day is
hidden, and kept secret; for Nature being mingled with Man brought
forth a Wonder most wonderful; for he having the Nature of the
Harmony of the Seven, from him whom I told thee, the Fire and the
Spirit, Nature continued not, but forth with brought forth seven Men
all Males and Females and sublime, or on high, according to the
Natures of the Seven Governors."

2-30. "And after these things, O Pimander," quoth I, "I am now come
into a great desire, and longing to hear, do not digress, or run
out."

2-31. But he said, "Keep silence, for I have not yet finished the
first speech."

2-32. Trismegistus. "Behold, I am silent."

2-33. Pimander. "The Generation therefore of these Seven was after
this manner, the Air being Feminine and the Water desirous of
Copulation, took from the Fire its ripeness, and from the aether
Spirit; and so Nature produced bodies after the Species and Shape of
men."

2-34. And Man was made of Life and Light into Soul and Mind, of Life
the Soul, of Light the Mind.

2-35. And so all the Members of the Sensible World, continued unto
the period of the end, bearing rule, and generating.

2-36. Hear now the rest of that speech, thou so much desirest to
hear.

2-37. When that Period was fulfilled, the bond of all things was
loosed and untied by the Will of God; for all living Creatures being
Hermaphroditical, or Male and Female, were loosed and untied
together with Man; and so the Males were apart by themselves and the
Females likewise.

2-38. And straightway God said to the Holy Word,. Increase in
Increasing, and Multiply in Multitude all you my Creatures and
Workmanships. And let Him that is endued with Mind, know Himself to
be Immortal; and that the cause of Death is the Love of the Body,
and let Him Learn all Things that are.

2-39. When he had thus said, Providence by Fate and Harmony, made the
mixtures, and established the Generations, and all things were
multiplied according to their kind, and he that knew himself, came
at length to the Superstantial of every way substantial good.

2-40. But he that through the Error of Love, loved the Body, abideth
wandering in darkness, sensible, suffering the things of death.

2-41. Trismegistus. "But why do they that are ignorant sin so much,
that they should therefore be deprived of immortality."

2-42. Pimander. "Thou seemest not to have understood what thou hast
heard."

2-43. Trismegistus. "Peradventure I seem so to thee, but I both
understand and remember them."

2-44. Pimander. "I am glad for thy sake, if thou understoodest
them."

2-45. Trismegistus. "Tell me, why are they worthy of death, that are
in death?"

2-46. Pimander. "Because there goeth a sad and dismal darkness
before its Body; of which darkness is the moist Nature, of which
moist Nature, the Body consisteth in the sensible World, from whence
death is derived. Hast thou understood this aright!"

2-47. Trismegistus. "But why or how doth he that understands
himself, go or pass into God!"

2-48. Pimander. "That which the Word of God said, say I: Because
the Father of all things consists of Life and Light, whereof Man is
made."

2-49. Trismegistus. "Thou sayest very well."

2-50. Pimander. "God and the Father is Light and Life, of which Man
is made. If therefore thou learn and believe thyself to be of the
Life and Light, thou shalt again pass into Life."

2-54. Pimander. "Take heed what thou sayest, for I the Mind come
unto men that are holy and good, pure and merciful, and that live
piously and religiously; and my presence is a help unto them. And
forthwith they know all things, and lovingly they supplicate and
propitiate the Father; and blessing him, they give him thanks, and
sing hymns unto him, being ordered and directed by filial Affection,
and natural Love: And before they give up their Bodies to the death
of them, they hate their Senses, knowing their Works and Operations.

2-55. "Rather I that am the Mind itself, will not suffer the
Operations or Works, which happen or belong to the body, to be
finished and brought to perfection in them; but being the Porter and
Door-keeper, I will shut up the entrances of Evil, and cut off the
thoughtful desires of filthy works.

2-56. "But to the foolish, and evil, and wicked, and envious and
covetous, and murderous, and profane, I am far off giving place to
the avenging Demon, which applying unto him the sharpness of fire,
tormenteth such a man sensibly, and armeth him the more to all
wickedness, that he may obtain the greater punishment.

2-57. "And such a one never ceaseth, having unfulfillable desires and
unsatiable concupiscences, and always fighting in darkness for the
Demon afflicts and tormenteth him continually, and increaseth the
fire upon him more and more."

2-58. Trismegistus. "Thou hast, O Mind, most excellently taught me
all things, as I desired; but tell me moreover, after the return is
made, what then?"

2-59. Pimander. "First of all, in the resolution of the material
Body, the Body itself is given up to alteration, and the form which
it had, becometh invisible; and the idle manners are permitted, and
left to the Demon, and the Senses of the Body return into their
Fountains, being parts, and again made up into Operations.

2-60. "And Anger and Concupiscence go into the brutish or
unreasonable Nature; and the rest striveth upward by Harmony.

2-61. "And to the first Zone it giveth the power it had of increasing
and diminishing.

2-62. "To the second, the machination or plotting of evils, and one
effectual deceit or craft.

2-68. "And then being made naked of all the Operations of Harmony it
cometh to the eighth Nature, having its proper power, and singeth
praises to the Father with the things that are, and all they that
are present rejoice, and congratulate the coming of it; and being
made like to them with whom it converseth, it heareth also the
Powers that are above the eighth Nature, singing praise to God in a
certain voice that is peculiar to them.

2-69. "And then in order they return unto the Father, and themselves
deliver themselves to the powers, and becoming powers they are in
God.

2-70. "This is the Good, and to them that know to be deified.

2-71. "Furthermore, why sayest thou, What resteth, but that
understanding all men, thou become a guide, and way-leader to them
that are worthy; that the kind of Humanity or Mankind, may be saved
by God!"

2-72. When Pimander had thus said unto me, he was mingled among the
Powers.

2-73. But I giving thanks, and blessing the Father of all things,
rose up, being enabled by him, and taught the Nature, of the Nature
of the whole and having seen the greatest sight or spectacle.

2-74. And I began to Preach unto men, the beauty and fairness of
Piety and Knowledge.

2-75. O ye People, Men, born and made of the Earth, which have given
Yourselves over to Drunkenness, and Sleep, and to the Ignorance of
God, be Sober, and Cease your Surfeit, whereto you are allured, and
invited by Brutish and Unreasonable Sleep.

2-76. And they that heard me, come willingly, and with one accord,
and then I said further.

2-77. Why, O Men of the Off-spring of the Earth, why have you
delivered Yourselves over unto Death, having Power to Partake of
Immortality; Repent and Change your Minds, you that have together
Walked in Error, and have been Darkened in Ignorance.

2-78. Depart from that dark Light, be Partakers of Immortality, and
Leave or Forsake Corruption.

2-79. And some of Them That Heard Me, mocking and scorning, went away
and delivered themselves up to the way of death.

2-80. But others, casting themselves down before my feet, besought me
that they might be taught; but I causing them to rise up, became a
guide of mankind, teaching them the reasons how, and by what means
they may be saved. And I sowed in them the words of Wisdom, and
nourished them with Ambrosian Water of Immortality.

2-81. And when it was Evening, and the Brightness of the same began
wholly to go down, I commanded them to give thanks to God; and when
they had finished their thanksgiving, everyone returned to his own
lodging.

2-82. But I wrote in myself the bounty and beneficence of Pimander;
and being filled with what I most desired, I was exceeding glad.

2-83. For the sleep of the Body was the sober watchfulness of the
mind; and the shutting of my eyes the true Sight, and my silence
great with child and full of good; and the pronouncing of my words,
the blossoms and fruits of good things.

2-84. And thus came to pass or happened unto me, which I received
from my mind, that is, Pimander, the Lord of the Word; whereby I
became inspired by God with the Truth.

2-85. For which cause, with my Soul, and whole strength, I give
praise and blessing unto God the Father.

2-86. Holy is God the Father of All Things.

2-87. Holy is God Whose Will is Performed and Accomplished by His Own
Powers.

2-88. Holy is God, that Determineth to be Known, and is Known of His
Own, or Those that are His.

2-89. Holy art Thou, that by Thy Word hast established all Things.

2-90. Holy art Thou of Whom all Nature is the Image.

2-91. Holy art Thou Whom Nature hath not Formed.

2-92. Holy art Thou that art Stronger than all Power.

2-93. Holy art Thou, that art Greater than all Excellency.

2-94. Holy art Thou, Who art Better than all Praise.

2-95. Accept these Reasonable Sacrifices from a Pure Soul, and a
Heart stretched out unto Thee.

2-96. O Thou Unspeakable, Unutterable, to be Praised with Silence!

2-97. I beseech Thee, that I may never Err from the Knowledge of
Thee, Look Mercifully upon Me, and Enable Me, and Enlighten with
this Grace, those that .are in Ignorance, the Brothers of my Kind,
but Thy Sons.

2-98. Therefore I Believe Thee, and Bear Witness, and go into the
Life and Light.

2-98. Blessed art Thou, O Father, Thy Man would be Sanctified with
Thee, as Thou hast given Him all Power.

Corpus Hermeticum - The Third Book.

called "The Holy Sermon."

3-1. The glory of all things, God and that which is Divine, and the
Divine Nature, the beginning of things that are.

3-2. God, and the Mind, and Nature, and Matter, and Operation, or
Working and Necessity, and the End and Renovation.

3-3. For there were in the Chaos, an infinite darkness in the Abyss
or bottomless Depth, and Water, and a subtle Spirit intelligible in
Power; and there went out the Holy Light, and the Elements were
coagulated from the Sand out of the moist Substance.

3-4. And all the Gods distinguished the Nature full of Seeds.

3-5. And when all things were interminated and unmade up, the light
things were divided on high. And the heavy things were founded upon
the moist sand, all things being Terminated or Divided by Fire; and
being sustained or hung up by the Spirit they were so carried, and
the Heaven was seen in Seven Circles.

3-6. And the Gods were seen in their Ideas of the Stars, with all
their Signs, and the Stars were numbered, with the Gods in them.
And the Sphere was all lined with Air, carried about in a circular,
motion by the Spirit of God.

3-7. And every God by his internal power, did that which was
commanded him; and there were made four footed things, and creeping
things, and such as live in the Water, and such as fly, and every
fruitful Seed, and Grass, and the Flowers of all Greens, and which
had sowed in themselves the Seeds of Regeneration.

3-8. As also the Generations of men to the knowledge of the Divine
Works, and a lively or working Testimony of Nature, and a multitude
of men, and the Dominion of all things under Heaven and the
knowledge of good things, and to be increased in increasing, and
multiplied in multitude.

3-9. And every Soul in flesh, by the wonderful working of the Gods in
the Circles, to the beholding of Heaven, the Gods, Divine Works, and
the Operations of Nature; and for Signs of good things, and the
knowledge of the Divine Power, and to find out every cunning
workmanship of good things.

3-10. So it beginneth to live in them, and to be wise according to
the Operation of the course of the circular Gods; and to be resolved
into that which shall be great Monuments; and Remembrances of the
cunning Works done upon Earth, leaving them to be read by the
darkness of times.

3-11. And every generation of living flesh, of Fruit, Seed, and all
Handicrafts, though they be lost, must of necessity be renewed by
the renovation of the Gods, and of the Nature of a Circle, moving in
number; for it is a Divine thing, that every world temperature
should be renewed by nature, for in that which is Divine, is Nature
also established.

Corpus Hermeticum - The Fourth Book.

called "The Key."

4-1. Yesterday's Speech, O Asclepius, I dedicated to thee, this day's
it is fit to dedicate to Tat, because it is an Epitome of those
general speeches that were spoken to him.

4-2. God therefore, and the Father, and the Good, O Tat, have the
same Nature, or rather also the same Act and Operation.

4-3. For there is one name or appellation of Nature and Increase
which concerneth things changeable, and another about things
unchangeable, and about things unmoveable, that is to say, Things
Divine and Human; every one of which, himself will have so to be;
but action or operation is of another thing, or elsewhere, as we
have taught in other things, Divine and Human, which must here also
be understood.

4-4. For his Operation or Act, is his Will, and his Essence, to Will
all Things to be.

4-5. For what is God, and the Father, and the Good, but the Being of
all things that yet are not, and the existence itself, of those
things that are!

4-6. This is God, this is the Father, this is the Good, whereunto no
other thing is present or approacheth.

4-7. For the World, and the Sun, which is also a Father by
Participation, is not for all that equally the cause of Good, and of
Life, to living Creatures: And if this be so, he is altogether
constrained by the Will of the Good, without which it is not
possible, either to be, or to be begotten or made.

4-8. But the Father is the cause of his Children, who hath a will
both to sow and nourish that which is good by the Son.

4-9. For Good is always active or busy in making; and this cannot he
in any other, but in him that taketh nothing, and yet willeth all
things to be; for I will not say, O Tat, making them; for he that
maketh is defective in much time, in which sometimes he maketh not,
as also of quantity and quality; for sometimes he maketh those
things that have quantity and quality and sometimes the contrary.

4-10. But God is the Father, and the Good, in being all things; for
he both will be this, and is it, and yet all this for himself (as is
true) in him that can see it.

4-11. For all things else are for this, it is the property of Good to
be known: This is the Good, O Tat.

4-12. Tat. Thou hast filled us, O Father, with a sight both good and
fair, and the eye of my mind is almost become more holy by the sight
or spectacle.

4-13. Trismegistus. I Wonder not at It, for the Sight of Good is not
like the Beam of the Sun, which being of a fiery shining brightness,
maketh the eye blind by his excessive Light, that gazeth upon it;
rather the contrary, for it enlighteneth, and so much increaseth the
light of the eye, as any man is able to receive the influence of
this Intelligible clearness.

4-14. For it is more swift and sharp to pierce, and innocent or
harmless withal, and full of immortality, and they that are capable
and can draw any store of this spectacle, and sight do many times
fall asleep from the Body, into this most fair and beauteous Vision
; which thing Celius and Saturn our Progenitors obtained unto.

4-15. Tat. I would we also, O Father, could do so.

4-16. Trismegistus. I would have could, O Son; but for the present
we are less intent to the Vision, and cannot yet open the eyes of
our minds to behold the incorruptible, and incomprehensible Beauty
of that Good: But then shall we see it, when we have nothing at all
to say of it.

4-17. For the knowledge of it, is a Divine Silence, and the rest of
all the Senses; For neither can he that understands that understand
anything else, nor he that sees that, see any thing else, nor hear
any other thing, nor in sum, move the Body.

4-18. For shining steadfastly upon, and round about the whole Mind it
enlighteneth all the Soul ; and loosing it from the Bodily Senses
and Motions, it draweth it from the Body, and changeth it wholly
into the Essence of God.

4-19. For it is Possible for the Soul, O Son, to be Deified while yet
it Lodgeth in the Body of Man, if it Contemplate the Beauty of the
Good.

4-20. Tat. How dost thou mean deifying, Father!

4-21. Trismegistus. There are differences, O Son, of every Soul.

4-22. Tat. But how dost thou again divide the changes?

4-23. Trismegistus. Hast thou not heard in the general Speeches,
that from one Soul of the Universe, are all those Souls, which in
all the world are tossed up and down, as it were, and severally
divided? Of these Souls there are many changes, some into a more
fortunate estate, and some quite contrary; for they which are of
creeping things, are changed into those of watery things and those
of things living in the water, to those of things living upon the
Land; and Airy ones are changed into men, and human Souls, that lay
hold of immortality, are changed into Demons.

4-24. And so they go on into the Sphere or Region of the fixed Gods,
for there are two choirs or companies of Gods, one of them that
wander, and another of them that are fixed. And this is the most
perfect glory of the Soul.

4-25. But the Soul entering into the Body of a Man, if it continue
evil, shall neither taste of immortality, nor is partaker of the
good.

4-26. But being drawn back the same way, it returneth into creeping
things. And this is the condemnation of an evil Soul.

4-27. And the wickedness of a Soul is ignorance; for the Soul that
knows nothing of the things that are, neither the Nature of them,
nor that which is good, but is blinded, rusheth and dasheth against
the bodily Passions, and unhappy as it is, not knowing itself, it
serveth strange Bodies, and evil ones, carrying the Body as a
burthen, and not ruling, but ruled. And this is the mischief of the
Soul.

4-28. On the contrary, the virtue of the Soul is Knowledge; for he
that knows is both good and religious, and already Divine.

4-29. Tat. But who is such a one, O Father!

4-30. Trismegistus. He that neither speaks, nor hears many things;
for he, O Son, that heareth two speeches or hearings, fighteth in
the shadow.

4-31. For God, and the Father, and Good, is neither spoken nor heard.

4-32. This being so in all things that are, are the Senses, because
they cannot be without them.

4-33. But Knowledge differs much from Sense; for Sense is of things
that surmount it, but Knowledge is the end of Sense.

4-34. Knowledge is the gift of God ; for all Knowledge is unbodily
but useth the Mind as an Instrument, as the Mind useth the Body.

4-35. Therefore both intelligible and material things go both of them
into bodies; for, of contraposition, That is Setting One against
Another, and Contrariety, all Things must Consist. And it is
impossible it should be otherwise,

4-36. Tat. who therefore is this material God?

4-37. Trismegistus. The fair and beautiful world, and yet it is not
good; for it is material and easily passible, nay, it is the first
of all passible things; and the second of the things that are, and
needy or wanting somewhat else. And it was once made and is always,
and is ever in generation, and made, and continually makes, or
generates things that have quantity and quality.

4-38. For it is moveable, and every material motion is generation;
but the intellectual stability moves the material motion after this
manner.

4-39. Because the World Is a Sphere, that is a Head, and above the
head there is nothing material, as beneath the feet there is nothing
intellectual.

4-40. The whole universe is material; The Mind is the head, and it is
moved spherically, that is like a head.

4-41. Whatsoever therefore is joined or united to the Membrane or
Film of this head, wherein the Soul is, is immortal, and as in the
Soul of a made Body, hath its Soul full of the Body; but those that
are further from that Membrane, have the Body full of Soul.

4-42. The whole is a living wight, and therefore consisteth of
material and intellectual.

4-43. And the World is the first, and Man the second living wight
after the World; but the first of things that are mortal and
therefore hath whatsoever benefit of the Soul all the others have:
And yet for all this, he is not only not good, but flatly evil, as
being mortal.

4-44. For the World is not good as it is moveable; nor evil as it is
immortal.

4-45. But man is evil, both as he is moveable, and as he is mortal.

4-46. But the Soul of Man is carried in this manner, The Mind is in
Reason, Reason in the Soul, the Soul in the Spirit, the Spirit in
the Body.

4-47. The Spirit being diffused and going through the veins, and
arteries, and blood, both moveth the living Creature, and after a
certain manner beareth it.

4-48. Wherefore some also have thought the Soul to be blood, being
deceived in Nature, not knowing that first the Spirit must return
into the Soul, and then the blood is congealed, the veins and
arteries emptied, and then the living thing dieth: And this is the
death of the Body.

4-49. All things depend of one beginning, and- the beginning depends
of that which is one and alone.

4-50. And the beginning is moved, that it may again be a beginning;
but that which is one, standeth and abideth, and is not moved,

4-51. There are therefore these three, God the Father, and the Good,
the World and Man: God hath the World, and the World hath Man; and
the World is the Son of God, and Man as it were the Offspring of the
World.

4-52. For God is not ignorant of R/Ian, but knows him perfectly, and
will be known by him. This only is healthful to man; the Knowledge
of God: this is the return of Olympus; by this only the Soul is
made good, and not sometimes good, and sometimes evil, but of
necessity Good.

4-53. Tat. What meanest thou, O Father.

4-54. Trismegistus. Consider, O Son, the Soul of a Child, when as
yet it hath received no dissolution of its Body, which is not yet
grown, but is very small; how then if it look upon itself, it sees
itself beautiful, as not having been yet spotted with the Passions
of the Body, but as it were depending yet upon the Soul of the
World.

4-55. But when the Body is grown and distracteth, the Soul it
engenders Forgetfulness, and partakes no more of the Fair and the
Good, and Forgetfulness is Evilness.

4-56. The like also happeneth to them that go out of the Body: for
when the Soul runs back into itself the Spirit is contracted into
the blood and the Soul into the Spirit; but the Mind being made
pure, and free from these clothings; and being Divine by Nature,
taking a fiery Body rangeth abroad in every place, leaving the Soul
to judgment, and to the punishment it hath deserved.

4-57. Tat. Why dost thou say so, O Father, that the Mind is separated
from the Soul, and the Soul from the Spirit? When even now thou
saidst the Soul was the Clothing or Apparel of the Mind, and the
Body of the Soul.

4-58. Trismegistus. O Son, he that hears must co-understand and
conspire in thought with him that speaks; yea, he must have his
hearing swifter and sharper than the voice of the speaker.

4-59. The disposition of these Clothings or Covers, is done in an
Earthly Body; for it is impossible, that the mind should establish
or rest itself, naked, and of itself; in an Earthly Body; neither is
the Earthly Body able to bear such immortality; and therefore that
it might suffer so great virtue the Mind compacted as it were, and
took to itself the passible Body of the Soul, as a Covering or
Clothing. And the Soul being also in some sort Divine, useth the
Spirit as her Minister and Servant, and the Spirit governeth the
living thing.

4-60. When therefore the Mind is separated, and departeth from the
earthly Body, presently it puts on its Fiery Coat, which it could
not do having to dwell in an Earthly Body.

4-61. For the Earth cannot suffer fire, for it is all burned of a
small spark; therefore is the water poured round about the Earth, as
a Wall or defence, to withstand the flame of fire.

4-62. But the Mind being the most sharp or swift of all the Divine
Cogitations, and more swift than all the Elements, hath the fire for
its Body.

4-63. For the Mind which is the Workman of all useth the fire as his
instrument in his Workmanship; and he that is the Workman of all,
useth it to the making of all things, as it is used by man, to the
making of Earthly things only; for the Mind that is upon Earth,
void, or naked of fire, cannot do the business of men. nor that
which is otherwise the affairs of God.

4-64. But the Soul of Man, and yet not everyone, but that which is
pious and religious, is Angelical and Divine. And such a Soul,
after it is departed from the Body, having striven the strife of
Piety, becomes either Mind or God.

4-65. And the strife of Piety is to know God, and to injure no Man,
and this way it becomes Mind.

4-66. But an impious Soul abideth in its own essence, punished of
itself, and seeking an earthly and human Body to enter into.

4-67. For no other Body is capable of a Human Soul, neither is it
lawful for a Man's Soul to fall into the Body of an unreasonable
living thing: for it is the Law or Decree of God, to preserve a
Human Soul from so great a contumely and reproach.

4-68. Tat. How then is the Soul of Man punished, O Father; and what
is its greatest torment.

4-69. Hermes. Impiety, O my Son; for what Fire hath so great a flame
as it? Or what biting Beast doth so tear the Body as it doth the
Soul.

4-70. Or dost thou not see how many evils the wicked Soul suffereth,
roaring and crying out, I am Burned, I am Consumed, I know not what
to Say, or Do, I am Devoured, Unhappy Wretch, of the Evils that
compass and lay-hold upon me; Miserable that I am, I neither See nor
Hear anything.

4-71. These are the voices of a punished and tormented Soul, and not
as many; and thou, O Son, thinkest that the Soul going out of the
Body grows brutish or enters into a Beast: which is a very great
Error, for the Soul punished after this manner.

4-72. For the Mind, when it is ordered or appointed to get a fiery
Body for the services of God, coming down into the wicked Soul,
torments it with the whips of Sins, wherewith the wicked Soul being
scourged, turns itself to Murders, and Contumelies, and Blasphemies,
and divers Violences, and other things by which men are injured

4-73. But into a pious Soul, the Mind entering, leads it into the
Light of Knowledge.

4-74. And such a Soul is never satisfied with singing praise to God,
and speaking well of all men; and both in words and deeds, always
doing good in imitation of her Father.

4-75. Therefore, O Son, we must give thanks, and pray, that we may
obtain a good mind.

4-76. The Soul therefore may be altered or changed into the better,
but into the worse it is impossible.

4-77. But there is a communion of Souls, and those of Gods,
communicate with those of men; and those of men, with those of
Beasts.

4-78. And the better always take of the worse, Gods of Men, Men of
brute Beasts, but God of all: For he is the best of all, and all
things are less than he.

4-79. Therefore is the World subject unto God, Man unto the World and
unreasonable things to Man.

4-80. But God is above all, and about all; and the beams of God are
operations; and the beams of the World are Natures; and the beams of
Man are Arts and Sciences.

4-81. And Operations do act by the World, and upon man by the natural
beams of the World, but Natures work by the Elements, and man by
Arts and Sciences.

4-82. And this is the Government of the whole, depending upon the
Nature of the One, and piercing or coming down by the One Mind, than
which nothing is more Divine, and more efficacious or operative; and
nothing more uniting, or nothing is more One. The Communion of Gods
to Men, and of Men to God.

4-83. This is the Bonus Genius, or good Demon, blessed Soul that is
fullest of it! and unhappy Soul that is empty of it!

4-84. Tat. And wherefore Father?

4-85. Trismegistus. Know Son, that every Soul hath the Good Mind;
for of that it is we now speak, and not of that Minister of which we
said before, That he was sent from the Judgment.

4-86. For the Soul without the Mind, can neither do, nor say any
thing; for many times the Mind flies away from the Soul, and in that
hour the Soul neither seeth nor heareth, but is like an unreasonable
thing; so great is the power of the Mind.

4-87. But neither brooketh it an idle or lazy Soul, but leaves such a
one fastened to the Body, and by it pressed down.

4-88. And such a Soul, O Son, hath no mind, wherefore neither must
such a one be called a Man.

4-89. For man is a Divine living thing and is not to be compared to
any brute Beast that lives upon Earth, but to them that are above in
Heaven, that are called Gods.

4-90. Rather, if we shall be bold to speak the truth, he that is a
man indeed, is above them, or at least they are equal in power, one
to the other, For none of the things in Heaven will come down upon
Earth, and leave the limits of Heaven, but a man ascends up into
Heaven, and measures it.

4-91. And he knoweth what things are on high, and what below, and
learneth all other things exactly.

4-92. And that which is the greatest of all, he leaveth not the
Earth, and yet is above: So great is the greatness of his Nature.

4-93. Wherefore we must be bold to say, That an Earthly Man is a
Mortal God, and That the Heavenly God is an Immortal Man.

4-94. Wherefore, by these two are all things governed, the World and
Man; but they and all things else, of that which is One.

Corpus Hermeticum - The Fifth Book.

"That God is not Manifest and yet most Manifest."

5-1. This Discourse I will also make to thee, O Tat, that thou mayest
not be ignorant of the more excellent Name of God.

5-2. But do thou contemplate in thy Mind, how that which to many
seems hidden and unmanifest, may be most manifest unto thee.

5-3. For it were not all, if it were apparent, for whatsoever is
apparent, is generated or made; for it was made manifest, but that
which is not manifest is ever.

5-4. For it needeth not to be manifested, for it is always.

5-5. And he maketh all other things manifest, being unmanifest as
being always, and making other things manifest, he is not made
manifest.

5-9. Himself is not made, yet in fantasy he fantasieth all things, or
in appearance he maketh them appear, for appearance is only of those
things that are generated or made, for appearance is nothing but
generation.

5-7. But he is that One, that is not made nor generated, is also
unapparent and unmanifest.

5-8. But making all things appear, he appeareth in all and by all;
but especially he is manifested to or in those things wherein
himself listeth.

5-9. Thou therefore, O Tat, my Son, pray first to the Lord and
Father, and to the Alone and to the One from whom is one to be
merciful to thee, that thou mayest knowest and understand so great a
God; and that he would shine one of his beams upon thee In thy
understanding.

5-10. For only the Understanding sees that which is not manifest or
apparent, as being itself not manifest or apparent; and if thou
canst, O Tat, it will appear to the eyes of thy Mind.

5-11. For the Lord, void of envy, appeareth through the whole world.
Thou mayest see the intelligence, and take it in thy hands, and
contemplate the Image of God.

5-12. But if that which is in thee, be not known or apparent unto
thee, how shall he in thee be seen, and appear unto thee by the
eyes?

5-13. But if thou wilt see him, consider and understand the Sun,
consider the course of the Moon, consider the order of the Stars.

5-14. Who is he that keepeth order? for all order is circumscribed or
terminated in number and place.

5-15. The Sun is the greatest of the Gods in heaven, to whom all the
heavenly Gods give place, as to a King and potentate; and yet he
being such a one, greater than the Earth or the Sea, is content to
suffer infinite lesser stars to walk and move above himself; whom
doth he fear the while, O Son?

5-16. Every one of these Stars that are in Heaven, do not make the
like, or an equal course; who is it that hath prescribed unto every
one, the manner and the greatness of their course!

5-17. This Bear that turns round about its own self; and carries
round the whole World with her, who possessed and made such an
Instrument.

5-18. Who hath set the Bounds to the Sea? who hath established the
Earth? for there is some body, O Tat, that is the Maker and Lord of
these things.

5-19. For it is impossible, O Son, that either place, or number, or
measure, should be observed without a Maker.

5-20. For no order can be made by disorder or disproportion.

5-21. I would it were possible for thee, O my Son, to have wings, and
to fly into the Air, and being taken up in the midst, between Heaven
and Earth, to see the stability of the Earth, the fluidness of the
Sea, the courses of the Rivers, the largeness of the Air, the
sharpness or swiftness of the Fire, the motion of the Stars; and the
speediness of the Heaven, by which it goeth round about all these.

5-22. O Son, what a happy sight it were, at one instant, to see all
these, that which is unmovable moved, and that which is hidden
appear and be manifest.

5-23. And if thou wilt see and behold this Workman, even by mortal
things that are upon Earth, and in the deep. Consider, O Son, how
Man is made and framed in the Womb; and examine diligently the skill
and cunning of the Workman, and learn who it was that wrought and
fashioned the beautiful and Divine shape of Man; who circumscribed
and marked out his eyes? who bored his nostrils and ears? who opened
his mouth? who stretched out and tied together his sinews! who
channelled the veins? who hardened and made strong the bones! who
clothed the flesh with skin? who divided the fingers and the joints!
who flatted and made broad the soles of the feet! who digged the
pores! who stretched out the spleen, who made the heart like a
Pyramis? who made the Liver broad! who made the Lights spungy, and
full of holes! who made the belly large and capacious? who set to
outward view the more honourable parts and hid the filthy ones.

5-24. See how many Arts in one Matter, and how many Works in one
Superscription, and all exceedingly beautiful, and all done in
measure, and yet all differing.

5-25. Who hath made all these things! what Mother! what Father! save
only God that is not manifest! that made all things by his own Will.

5-26;: And no man says that a statue or an image is made without a
Carver or a Painter, and was this Workmanship made without a
Workman? O great Blindness, O great Impiety, O great Ignorance.

5-27. Never, O Son Tat, canst thou deprive the Workmanship of the
Workman, rather it is the best Name of all the Names of God, to call
him the Father of all, for so he is alone; and this is his Work to
be the Father.

5-28. And if thou wilt force me to say anything more boldly, it is
his Essence to be pregnant, or great with all things, and to make
them.

5-29. And as without a Maker, it is impossible that anything should
be made, so it is that he should not always be, and always be making
all things in Heaven, in the Air, in the Earth, in the Deep, in the
whole World, and in every part of the whole that is, or that is not.

5-30. For there is nothing in the whole World, that is not himself
both the things that are and the things that are not.

5-31. For the things that are, he hath made manifest; and the things
that are not, he hath hid in himself.

5-32. This is God that is better than any name; this is he that is
secret; this is he that is most manifest; this is he that is to be
seen by the Mind ; this is he that is visible to the eye; this is he
that hath no body; and this is he that hath many bodies, rather
there is nothing of any body, which is not He.

5-33. For he alone is all things.

5-34. And for this cause He hath all Names, because He is the One
Father; and therefore He hath no Name, because He is the Father of
all.

5-35. Who therefore can bless thee, or give thanks for thee, or to
thee.

5-36. Which way shall I look, when I praise thee? upward? downward?
outward? inward?

5-37. For about thee there is no manner, nor place, nor anything else
of all things that are.

5-38. But all things are in thee; all things from thee, thou givest
all things, and takest nothing; for thou hast all things and there
is nothing that thou hast not.

5-39. When shall I praise thee, O Father; for it is neither possible
to comprehend thy hour, nor thy time?

5-40. For what shall I praise thee? for what thou hast made, or for
what thou hast not made! fur those things thou hast manifested, or
for those things thou hast hidden?

5-41. Wherefore shall I praise thee as being of myself, or having
anything of mine own, or rather being another's?

5-42. For thou art what I am, thou art what I do, thou art what I
say.

5-43. Thou Art All Things, and there is Nothing Else Thou art not.

5-44. Thou Art Thou, All that is Made, and all that is not Made.

5-45. The Mind that Understandeth.

5-46. The Father that Maketh and Frameth.

5-47. The Good that Worketh.

5-48. The Good that doth All Things.

5-49. Of the Matter, the most subtle and slender part is Air, of the
Air the Soul, of the Soul the Mind, of the Mind God.

Corpus Hermeticum - The Sixth Book.

called "That in God alone is Good."

6-1. Good, O Asclepius, is in nothing but in God alone; or rather God
himself is the Good always.

6-2. And if it be so, then must he be an Essence or Substance void of
all motion and generation; but nothing is void or empty of him.

6-3. And this Essence hath about or in himself a Stable, and firm
Operation, wanting nothing, most full, and giving abundantly.

6-4. One thing is the Beginning of all things, for it giveth all
things; and when I name the Good, I mean that which is altogether
and always Good.

6-5. This is present to none, but God alone; for he wanteth nothing,
that he should desire to have it, nor can anything be taken from
him; the loss whereof may grieve him; for sorrow is a part of
evilness.

6-6. Nothing is stronger than he, that he should be opposed by it;
nor nothing equal to him, that he should be in love with it; nothing
unheard of to be angry, with nothing wiser to be envious at.

6-7. And none of these being in his Essence, what remains, but only
the Good?

6-8. For as in this, being such an Essence, there is none of the
evils; so in none of the other things shall the Good be found.

6-9. For in all other things, are all those other things. as well in
the small as the great ; and as well in the particulars as in this
living Creature the greater and mightiest of all.

6-10. For all things that are made or generated are full of Passion,
Generation itself being a Passion ; and where Passion is there is
not the Good; where the Good is, there is no Passion; where it is
day, it is not night, and where it is night, it is not day.

6-11. Wherefore it is impossible, that in Generation should be the
Good, but only in that which is not generated or made.

6-12. Yet as the Participation of all things is in the Matter bound,
so also of that which is Good. After this manner is the World good,
as it maketh all things, and in the part of making or doing it is
Good, but in all other things not good.

6-13. For it is passible, and movable, and the Maker of passible
things.

6-14. In Man also the Good is ordered (or Taketh Denomination) in
comparison of that which is evil; for that which is not very evil,
is here good; and that which is here called Good, is the least
particle, or proportion of evil.

6-15. It is impossible therefore, that the Good should be here pure
from Evil; for here the Good groweth Evil, and growing Evil, it doth
not still abide Good; and not abiding Good it becomes Evil.

6-16. Therefore in God alone is the Good, or rather God is the Good.

6-17. Therefore, O Asclepius, there is nothing in men (or among Men)
but the name of Good, the thing itself is not, for it is impossible;
for a material Body receiveth (or Comprehendeth), is not as being on
every side encompassed and coarcted with evilness, and labours, and
griefs, and desires, and wrath, and deceits, and foolish opinions.

6-18. And in that which is the worst of all, Asclepius, every one of
the forenamed things, is here believed to be the greatest good,
especially that supreme mischief the pleasures of the Belly, and the
ring-leader of all evils; Error is here the absence of the Good.

6-19. And I give thanks unto God, that concerning the knowledge of
Good, put this assurance in my mind, that it is impossible it should
be in the World.

6-20. For the World is the fulness of evilness ; but God is the
fulness of Good, or Good of God.

6-21. For the eminencies of all appearing Beauty, are in the Essence
more pure, more sincere, and peradventure they are also the Essence
of it.

6-22. For we must be bold to say, Asclepius, that the Essence of God,
if he have an Essence, is that which is fair or beautiful; but no
good is comprehended in this World.

6-23. For all things that are subject to the eye, are Idols, and as
it were shadows; but those things that are not subject to the eye,
are ever, especially the Essence of the Fair and the Good.

6-24. And as the eye cannot see God, so neither the Fair, and the
Good.

6-25. For these are the parts of God that partake the Nature of the
whole, proper, and familiar unto him alone, inseparable, most
lovely, whereof either God is enamoured, or they are enamoured of
God.

6-26. If thou canst understand God, thou shalt understand the Fair,
and the Good which is most shining, and enlightening, and most
enlightened by God.

6-27. For that Beauty is above comparison, and that Good is
inimitable, as God himself.

6-28. As therefore thou understandest God, so understand the Fair and
the Good, for these are incommunicable to any other living Creatures
because they are inseparable from God.

6-29. If thou seek concerning God, thou seekest or askest also of the
Fair, for there is one way that leads to the same thing, that is
Piety with Knowledge.

6-30. Wherefore, they that are ignorant, and go not in the way of
Piety, dare call Man Fair and Good, never seeing so much as in a
dream, what Good is; but being enfolded and wrapped upon all evil,
and believing that the evil is the Good, they by that means, both
use it unsatiably, and are afraid to be deprived of it; and
therefore they strive by all possible means, that they may not only
have it, but also increase it.

6-31. Such, O Asclepius, are the Good and Fair things of men, which
we can neither love nor hate, for this is the hardest thing of all,
that we have need of them, and cannot live without them.

Corpus Hermeticum - The Seventh Book.

His Secret Sermon in the Mount

Of Regeneration, and the Profession of Silence.

To His Son Tat.

7-1. Tat. In the general Speeches, O Father, discoursing of the
Divinity, thou speakest enigmatically, and didst not clearly reveal
thyself, saying, That no man can be saved before Regeneration.

7-2. And when I did humbly entreat thee, at the going up the Mountain
after thou hadst discoursed unto me, having a great desire, to learn
this Argument of Regeneration ; because among all the rest, I am
ignorant only of this thou toldst me thou wouldst impart it unto me,
when I would estrange myself from the World: whereupon I made
myself ready, and have vindicated the understanding that is in me,
from the deceit of the World.

7-3. Now then fulfill my defects, and as thou saidst instruct me of
Regeneration, either by word of mouth or secretly; for I know not, O
Trismegistus, of what Substance, or what Womb or what Seed a Man is
thus born.

7-4. Hermes. O Son, this Wisdom is to be understood in silence, and
the Seed is the true Good.

7-5. Tat. Who soweth it, O Father . for I am utterly ignorant and
doubtful.

7-6. Hermes. The Will of God, O Son.

7-7. And what manner of Man is he that is thus born? for in this
point, I am clean deprived of the Essence that understandeth in me.

7-8. Hermes. The Son of God will be another, God made the universe,
that in everything consisteth of all powers.

7-9. Tat. Thou tellest me a Riddle, Father, and dost not speak as a
Father to his Son.

7-10. Hermes. Son, things of this kind are not taught, but are by
God, when he pleaseth, brought to remembrance.

7-11. Tat. Thou speakest of things strained, or far fetched, and
impossible, Father; and therefore I will directly contradict them.

7-14. Hermes. What shall I say, O my Son? I have nothing to say
more than this, that I see in myself an unfeigned sight or
spectacle, made by the mercy of God, and I am gone out of myself
into an immortal body, and am riot now what I was before, but was
begotten in Mind.

7-15. This thing is not taught, nor is it to be seen in this formed
Element; for which the first compound form was neglected by me; and
that I am now separated from it ; for I have both the touch and the
measure of it, yet am I now estranged from them.

7-16. Thou seest, O Son, with thine eyes; but though thou look never
so steadfastly upon me, with the Body, and bodily sight, thou canst
not see, nor understand what I am now.

7-17. Tat. Thou hast driven me, O Father, into no small fury and
distraction of mind, for I do not now see my self.

7-18. Hermes. I would, O Son, that thou also wert gone out of
thyself, like them that dream in their sleep.

7-19. Tat. Then tell me this, who is the Author and Maker of
Regeneration ?

7-20. Hermes. The child of God, one Man by the Will of God.

7-21. Tat. Now, O Father, thou hast put me to silence for ever and
all my former thoughts have quite left and forsaken me, for I see
the greatness, and shape of all things here below, and nothing but
falsehood in them all.

7-22. And since this mortal Form is daily changed, and turned by this
time into increase, and diminution, as being falsehood; what
therefore is true, O Trismegistus?

7-23. Trismegistus. That, O Son, which is not troubled, nor bounded;
not coloured, not figured, not changed; that which is naked, bright,
comprehensible only of itself, unalterable, unbodily.

7-24. Tat. Now I am mad, indeed, Father; for when I thought me to
have been made a wise man by thee, with these thoughts thou hast
quite dulled all my senses.

7-25. Hermes. Yet is it so, as I say, O Son, He that Looketh Only
upon that which is carried upward as Fire, that which is carried
downward as Earth, that which is moist as Water, and that which
bloweth or is subject to blast as Air; how can he sensibly
understand that which is neither hard, nor moist, nor tangible, nor
perspicuous, seeing it is only understood in power and operation;
but I beseech and pray to the Mind which alone can understand the
Generation, which is in God.

7-26. Tat. Then am I, O Father, utterly unable to do it.

7-27. Hermes. God forbid, Son, rather draw or pull him unto thee (or
Study to Know Him) and he will come, be but Willing, and it shall be
done; quiet (or make idle) the Senses of the Body, purging thyself
from unreasonable brutish torments of matter.

7-28. Tat. Have I any revengers or tormentors in myself, Father ?

7-29. Hermes. Yes, and those, not a few, but many and fearful ones.

7-30. Tat. I do not know them, Father.

7-31. Hermes. One Torment, Son, is Ignorance, a second, Sorrow, a
third, Intemperance, a fourth Concupiscence, a fifth, Injustice, a
sixth, Covetousness, a seventh, Deceit, an eighth, Envy, a ninth,
Fraud or Guile, a tenth, Wrath, an eleventh, Rashness, a twelfth,
Maliciousness.

7-32. They are in number twelve, and under these many more; some
which through the prison of the body, do force the inwardly placed
Man to suffer sensibly

7-33. And they do not suddenly, or easily depart from him, that hath
obtained mercy of God; and herein consists, both the manner and the
reason of Regeneration.

7-34. For the rest, O Son, hold thy peace, and praise God in silence,
and by that means, the mercy of God will not cease, or be wanting
unto us.

7-35. Therefore rejoice, my Son, from henceforward, being purged by
the powers of God, to the Knowledge of the Truth.

7-36. For the revelation of God is come to us, and when that came all
Ignorance was cast out.

7-37. The knowledge of Joy is come unto us, and when that comes,
Sorrow shall fly away to them that are capable of it.

7-38. I call unto Joy, the power of Temperance, a power whose Virtue
is most sweet; Let us take her unto ourselves, O Son, most
willingly, for how at her coming hath she put away Intemperance.

7-39. Now I call the fourth, Continence, the power which is over
Concupiscence. This, O Son, is the stable and firm foundation of
Justice.

7-40. For see, how without labour, she hath chased away injustice and
we are justified, O Son, when Injustice is away.

7-41. The sixth Virtue which comes into us, I call Communion, which
is against Covetousness.

7-42. And when that (Covetousness) is gone, I call Truth ; and when
she cometh, Error and Deceit vanisheth.

7-43. See, O Son, how the Good is fulfilled by the access of Truth;
for by this means, Envy is gone from us; for Truth is accompanied
with the Good, together also with Life and Light.

7-44. And there came no more any torment of Darkness, but being
overcome, they are all fled away suddenly, and tumultuarily.

7-45. Thou hast understood, O Son, the manner of Regeneration; for
upon the coming of these Ten, the Intellectual Generation is
perfected, and then it driveth away the twelve; and we have seen it
in the Generation itself.

7-46. Whosoever therefore hath of Mercy obtained this Generation
which is according to God, he leaving all bodily sense, knoweth
himself to consist of divine things, and rejoiceth, being made by
God stable and immutable.

7-47. Tat. O Father, I conceive and understand, not by the sight of
mine eyes, but by the Intellectual Operation, which is by the
Powers. I am in Heaven, in the Earth, in the Water, in the Air, I
am in living Creatures, in the Plants, in the Womb, everywhere.

7-48. Yet tell me further, this one thing, How are the torments of
Darkness, being in number Twelve, driven away and expelled by the
Ten powers. What is the manner of it, Trismegistus?

7-49. Hermes. This Tabernacle, O Son, consists of the Zodiacal
Circle; and this consisting of twelve numbers, the Idea of one; but
all formed Nature admit of divers Conjugations to the deceiving of
Man.

7-50. And though they be different in themselves, yet are they united
in practice (as for example, Rashness is inseparable from Anger) and
they are also indeterminate: Therefore with good Reason, do they
make their departure, being driven away by the Ten powers; that is
to say, By the dead.

7-51. For the number of Ten, O Son, is the Begetter of Souls. And
there Life and Light are united, where the number of Unity is born
of the Spirit.

7-52. Therefore according to Reason, Unity bath the number of Ten,
and the number of Ten hath Unity.

7-53. Tat. O Father, I now see the Universe, and myself in the Mind.

7-54. Hermes. This is Regeneration, O Son, that we should not any
longer fix our imagination upon this Body, subject to the three
dimensions, according to this Speech which we have now commented.
That we may not at all calumniate the Universe.

7-55. Tat. Tell me, O Father, This Body that consists of Powers shall
it ever admit of any Dissolution?

7-56. Hermes. Good words, Son, and speak not things impossible; for
so thou shalt sin, and the eye of thy mind grow wicked.

7-57. The sensible Body of Nature is far from the Essential
Generation; for that is subject to Dissolution, but this not; and
that is mortal, but this immortal. Dost thou not know that thou art
born a God and the Son of the One, as I am.

7-58. Tat. How fain would I, O Father, hear that praise given by a
Hymn, which thou saidst, thou heardst from the Powers when I was in
the Octonary.

7-59. Hermes. As Pimander said by way of Oracle to the Octonary,
Thou dost well, O Son, to desire the Solution of the Tabernacle, for
thou art purified.

7-60. Pimander, the Mind of absolute Power and Authority, hath
delivered no more unto me, than those that are written; knowing that
of myself, I can understand all things, and hear, and see what I
will. And he commanded me to do those things that are good; and
therefore all the Powers that are in me sing.

7-61. Tat. I would hear thee, O Father, and understand these things.

7-62. Hermes. Be quiet, O Son, and now hearken to that harmonious
blessing and thanksgiving: the hymn of Regeneration, which I did
not determine to have spoken of so plainly, but to thyself in the
end of all.

7-63. Wherefore this is not taught, but hid in silence.

7-64. So then, O Son, do thou standing in the open Air, worship
looking to the North Wind, about the going down of the Sun, and to
the South, when the Sun ariseth; And now keep silence, Son.

The Secret Song.

The Holy Speech.

7-65. Let all the Nature of the world entertain the hearing of this
Hymn.

7-66. Be opened, O Earth, and let all the Treasure of the Rain be
opened.

7-67. You Trees tremble not, for I will sing and praise the Lord of
the Creation, and the All and the One.

7-68. Be opened you Heavens, ye Winds stand still, and let the
Immortal Circle of God receive these words.

7-69. For I will sing, and praise him that created all things, that
fixed the Earth, and hung up the Heavens, and commanded the sweet
Water to come out of the Ocean; into all the World inhabited, and
not inhabited, to the use and nourishment of all things, or men.

7-70. That commanded the fire to shine for very action, both to Gods
and Men.

7-71. Let us altogether give him blessing, which rideth upon the
Heavens, the Creator of all Nature.

7-72. This is he that is the Eye of the Mind, and Will accept the
praise of my Powers.

7-73. O all ye Powers that are in me, praise the One and the All.

7-74. Sing together with my Will, all you Powers that are in me.

7-75. O Holy Knowledge, being enlightened by thee, I magnify the
intelligible Light, and rejoice in the Joy of the Mind.

7-76. All my Powers sing praise with me, and thou my Continence, sing
praise my Righteousness by me; praise that which is righteous.

7-77. O Communion which is in me, praise the All.

7-78. By me the Truth sings praise to the Truth, the Good praiseth
the Good.

7-98. Hermes. I am glad, O Son, to see the Truth bring forth the
Fruits of Good things, and such immortal branches.

7-99. And learn this of me: Above all other virtues entertain
Silence, and impart unto no man, O Son, the tradition of
Regeneration, lest we be reputed Calumniators; For we both have now
sufficiently meditated, I in speaking, thou in hearing. And now
thou dost intellectually know thyself and our Father.

Corpus Hermeticum - The Eighth Book.

That The Greatest Evil In Man, Is,

The Not Knowing God.

8-1. Whither are you carried, O Men, drunken with drinking up the
strong Wine of Ignorance? which seeing you cannot bear: Why do you
not vomit it up again?

8-2. Stand, and be sober, and look up again with the eyes of your
heart; and if you cannot all do so, yet do as many as you can.

8-3. For the malice of Ignorance surroundeth all the Earth, and
corrupteth the Soul, shut up in the Body not suffering it to arrive
at the Havens of Salvation.

8-4. Suffer not yourselves to be carried with the great stream, but
stem the tide, you that can lay hold of the Haven of Safety, and
make your full course towards it.

8-5. Seek one that may lead you by the hand, and conduct you to the
door of Truth and Knowledge, where the clear Light is that is pure
from Darkness, where there is not one drunken, but all are sober and
in their heart look up to him, whose pleasure it is to be seen.

8-6. For he cannot be heard with ears, nor seen with eyes, nor
expressed in words; but only in mind and heart.

8-7. But first thou must tear to pieces and break through the garment
thou wearest; the web of Ignorance, the foundation of all Mischief;
the bond of Corruption ; the dark Coverture; the living Death ; the
sensible Carcass, the Sepulchre, carried about with us; the
domestical Thief which in what he loves us, hates us, envies us.

8-8. Such is the hurtful Apparel, wherewith thou art clothed, which
draws and pulls thee downward by its own self; lest looking up, and
seeing the beauty of Truth, and the Good that is reposed therein,
thou shouldst hate the wickedness of this garment, and understand
the traps and ambushes, which it bath laid for thee.

8-9. Therefore doth it labour to make good those things that seem and
are by the Senses, judged and determined; and the things that are
truly, it hides, and envelopeth in such matter, filling what it
presents unto thee, with hateful pleasure, that thou canst neither
hear what thou shouldst hear, nor see what thou shouldst see.

Corpus Hermeticum - The Ninth Book.

A Universal Sermon to Asclepius.

9-1. Hermes. All that is moved, O Asclepius, is it not moved in some
thing, and by some thing?

9-2. Asclepius. Yes, indeed.

9-3. Hermes. Must not that, in which a thing is. moved, of necessity
be greater than the thing that is moved?

9-4. Of necessity.

9-5. And that which moveth, is it not stronger than that which is
moved?

9-6. Asclepius. It is stronger.

9-7. Hermes. That in which a thing is moved, must it not needs have
a Nature, contrary to that of the thing that is moved?

9-8. Asclepius. It must needs.

9-9. Hermes. Is not this great World a Body, than which there is no
greater?

9-10. Asclepius. Yes, confessedly.

9-11. Hermes. And is it not solid, as filled with many great Bodies,
and indeed, with all the Bodies that are

9-12. Asclepius. It is so.

9-13. Hermes. And is not the World a Body, and a Body that is moved.

9-14. Asclepius. It is.

9-15. Hermes. Then what kind of a place must it be, wherein it is
moved, and of what Nature? Must it not he much bigger, that it may
receive the continuity of Motion? and lest that which is moved
should for want of room, be stayed, and hindered in the Motion ?

9-16. Asclepius. It must needs be an immense thing, Trismegistus,
but of what Nature.

9-17. Hermes. Of a contrary Nature, O Asclepius; but is not the
Nature of things unbodily, contrary to a Body.

9-18. Asclepius. Confessedly.

9-19. Hermes. Therefore the place is unbodily; but that which is
unbodily, is either some Divine thing or God himself. And by some
thing Divine, I do not mean that which was made or begotten.

9-20. If therefore it be Divine, it is an Essence or Substance but if
it be God, it is above Essence; but he is otherwise intelligible.

9-21. For the first, God is intelligible, not to himself, but to us,
for that which is intelligible, is subject to that which
understandeth by Sense.

9-22. Therefore God is not intelligible to himself, for not being any
other thing from that which is understood, he cannot be understood
by himself.

9-23. But he is another thing from us, and therefore he is understood
by us.

9-24. If therefore Place be intelligible, it is not Place but God,
but if God be intelligible, he is intelligible not as Place, but as
a capable Operation.

9-25. Now everything that is moved, is moved, not in or by that which
is moved, but in that which standeth or resteth, and that which
moveth standeth or resteth, for it is impossible it should be moved
with it.

9-26. Asclepius. How then, O Trismegistus, are those things that are
here moved with the things that are moved? for thou sayest that the
Spheres that wander are moved by the Sphere that wanders not.

9-27. Hermes. That, O Asclepius, is not a moving together, but a
countermotion, for they are not moved after a like manner, but
contrary one to the other; and contrariety hath a standing
resistance of motion for resistance is a staying of motion.

9-28. Therefore the wandering Spheres being moved contrarily to that
Sphere which wandereth not, shall have one from another contrariety
standing of itself.

9-29. For this Bear which thou seest neither rise nor go down, but
turning always about the same; dost thou think it moveth or standeth
still?

9-30. Asclepius. I think it moves, Trismegistus.

9-31. What motion, O Asclepius?

9-32. Asclepius. A motion that is always carried about the same.

9-33. But the Circulation which is about the same, and the motion
about the same, are both hidden by Station; for that which is about
the same forbids that which is above the same, if it stand to that
which is about the same.

9-34. And so the contrary motion stands fast always, being always
established by the contrariety.

9-35. But I will give thee concerning this matter, an earthly example
that may be seen with eyes.

9-36. Look upon any of these living Creatures upon Earth, as Man for
example, and see him swimming; for as the Water is carried one way,
the reluctation or resistance of his feet and hands is made a
station to the man, that he should not be carried with the Water,
nor sink underneath it.

9-38. Hermes. Therefore every motion is in station, and is moved of
station.

9-39. The motion then of the World, and of every material living
thing, happeneth not to be done by those things that are without the
World, but by those things within it, a Soul, or Spirit, or some
other unbodily thing, to those things which are without it.

9-40. For an inanimated Body, doth not now, much less a Body if it be
wholly inanimate.

9-41. Asclepius. What meaneth thou by this, O Trismegistus, Wood and
Stones, and all other inanimate things, are they not moving Bodies?

9-42. Hermes. By no means, O Asclepius, for that within the Body
which moves the inanimate thing, is not the Body, that moves both as
well the Body of that which beareth, as the Body of that which is
born; for one dead or inanimate thing, cannot move another; that
which moveth, must needs be alive if it move.

9-43. Thou seest therefore how the Soul is surcharged, when it
carrieth two Bodies.

9-44. And now it is manifest, that the things that are moved are
moved in something, and by something.

9-45. Asclepius. The things that are, O Trismegistus, must needs be
moved in that which is void or empty, Vacuum.

9-46. Be advised, O Asclepius, for of all the things that are, there
is nothing empty, only that which is not, is empty and a stranger to
existence or being.

9-47. But that which is, could not be if it were not full of
existence, for that which is in being or existence can never be made
empty.

9-48. Asclepius. Are there not therefore some things that are empty,
O Trismegistus, as an empty Barrel, an empty Hogshead, an empty
Well, an empty Wine- Press, and many such like?

9-49. Hermes. O the grossness of thy Error, O Asclepius, those
things that are most full and replenished, dost thou account them
void and empty.

9-50. Asclepius. What may be thy meaning, Trismegistus?

9-51. Hermes. Is not the Air a Body?

9-52. Asclepius. It is a Body.

9-53. Hermes. Why then this Body doth it not pass through all things
that are and passing through them, fill them? and that Body doth it
not consist of the mixture of the four? therefore all things which
thou callest empty are full of Air.

9-54. Therefore those things that thou callest empty, thou oughtest
to call them hollow, not empty, for they exist and are full of Air
and Spirit.

9-55. Asclepius. This reason is beyond all contradiction, O
Trismegistus, but what shall we call the Place in which the whole
Universe is moved?

9-56. Hermes. Call it incorporeal, O Asclepius.

9-57. Asclepius. What is that incorporeal or unbodily?

9-58. Hermes. The Mind and Reason, the whole, wholly comprehending
itself, free from all Body, undeceivable, invisible, impassible from
a Body itself, standing fast in itself, capable of all things, and
that favour of the things that are.

9-59. Whereof the Good, the Truth, the Archetypal Light, the
Archetype of the Soul, are as it were Beams.

9-60. Asclepius. Why then, what is God?

9-61. Hermes. That which is none of these things, yet is, and is the
cause of Being to all; and every one of the things that are; for he
left nothing destitute of Being.

9-62. And all things are made of things that are, and not of things
that are not; for the things that are not, have not the nature to be
able to be made; and again, the things that are, have not the nature
never to be, or not to be at all.

9-63. Asclepius. What dost thou then say at length, that God is?

9-64. Hermes. God is not a Mind, but the Cause that the Mind is; not
a Spirit, but the Cause that the Spirit is; not Light, but the Cause
that Light is.

9-65. Therefore we must worship God by these two Appellations which
are proper to him alone, and to no other

9-66. For neither of all the other, which are called Gods, nor of
Men, nor Demons, or Angels, can anyone be, though never so little,
good, save only God alone.

9-67. And this He is, and nothing else; but all other things are
separable from the nature of Good.

9-68. For the Body and the Soul have no place that is capable of or
can contain the Good.

9-69. For the greatness of Good, is as great as the Existence of all
things, that are both bodily and Unbodily, both sensible and
intelligible.

9-70. This is the Good, even God.

9-71. See therefore that thou do not at any time, call ought else
Good, for so thou shalt be impious, or any else God, but only the
Good, for so thou shalt again be impious.

9-72. In Word it is often said by all men the Good, but all men do
not understand what it is; but through Ignorance they call both the
Gods, and some men Good, that can never either be or be made so.

9-73. Therefore all the other Gods are honoured with the title and
appellation of God, but God is the Good, not according to Heaven,
but Nature.

9-74. For there is one Nature of God, even the Good, and one kind of
them both, from whence are all kinds.

9-75. For he that is Good, is the giver of all things, and takes
nothing and therefore God gives all things and receives nothing.

9-76. The other title and appellation, is the Father, because of his
making all things; for it is the part of a Father to make.

9-77. Therefore it bath been the greatest and most Religious care in
this life, to them that are wise, and well-minded, to beget
children.

9-78. As likewise it is the greatest misfortune and impiety for any
to be separated from men, without children; and this man is punished
after death by the Demons, and the punishment is this, To have the
Soul of this childless man, adjudged and condemned to a Body, that
neither bath the nature of a man, nor of a woman, which is an
accursed thing under the Sun.

9-79. Therefore, O Asclepius, never congratulate any man that is
childless; but on the contrary, pity his misfortune, knowing what
punishment abides, and is prepared for him.

9-80. Let so many, and such manner of things, O Asclepius, be said as
a certain precognition of all things in Nature.

Corpus Hermeticum - The Tenth Book.

The Mind to Hermes.

10-1. Forbear thy speech, O Hermes Trismegistus, and call to mind
those things that are said: but I will not delay to speak what
comes into my mind, since many men have spoken many things, and
those very different, concerning the Universe and Good; but I have
not learned the Truth.

10-2. Therefore, the Lord make it plain to me in this point ; for I
will believe thee only, for the manifestation of these things.

10-3. Then said the Mind how the case stands.

10-4. God and all.

10-5. God, Eternity, the World, Time, Generation,

10-6. God made Eternity, Eternity the World; the World Time, and Time
Generation.

10-7. Of God, as it were the Substance, is the Good, the Fair,
Blessedness, Wisdom.

10-8. Of Eternity, Identity, or Selfness.

10-9. Of the World, Order.

10-10. Of Time, Change.

10-11. Of Generation, Life, and Death.

10-12. But the Operation of God, is Mind and Soul.

10-13. Of Eternity, Permanence, or Long-lasting, and Immortality

10-14. Of the World, Restitution, and Decay or Destruction.

10-15. Of Time, Augmentation and Diminution.

10-16. And of Generation, Qualities.

10-17. Therefore Eternity is in God.

10-18. The World in Eternity.

10-19. Time in the World.

10-20. And Generation in Time.

10-21. And Eternity standeth about God.

10-22. The World is moved in Eternity.

10-23. Time is determined in the World.

10-24. Generation is done in Time.

10-25. Therefore the Spring and Fountain of all things is God.

10-26. The Substance Eternity.

10-27. The Matter is the World.

10-28. The Power of God is Eternity.

10-29. And the Work of Eternity is the World not yet made, and yet
ever made by Eternity.

10-30. Therefore shall nothing be at any time destroyed, for Eternity
is incorruptible.

10-31. Neither can anything perish, or be destroyed in the World, the
World being contained and embraced by eternity.

10-32. But what is the Wisdom of God? Even the Good, and the Fair and
Blessedness, and every Virtue, and Eternity.

10-33. Eternity therefore put into the Matter Immortality and
Everlastingness; for the Generation of that depends upon Eternity,
even as Eternity doth of God.

10-34. For Generation and Time, in Heaven, and in Earth, are of a
double Nature; in Heaven they are unchangeable and incorruptible,
but on Earth they are changeable and corruptible.

10-35. And the Soul of Eternity is God; and the Soul of the World
Eternity; and of the Earth, Heaven.

10-36. God is in the Mind, the Mind in the Soul1 the Soul in the
Matter, all things by Eternity.

10-37. All this Universal Body, in which are all Bodies, is full of
Soul, the Soul full of Mind, the Mind full of God.

10-38. For within he fills them, and without he contains them,
quickening the Universe.

10-39. Without he quickens this perfect living thing the World, and
within all living Creatures.

10-40. And above in Heaven he abides in Identity or Selfness, but
below upon Earth he changeth Generation.

10-41. Eternity comprehendeth the World, either by Necessity, or
Providence, or Nature.

10-42. And if any man shall think any other thing, it is God that
actuateth, or operateth this All.

10-43. But the operation or Act of God, is power insuperable, to which
none may compare anything, either Human or Divine.

10-44. Therefore, O Hermes, think none of these things below, or the
things above, in any wise like unto God, for if thou dost thou
errest from the Truth.

10-45. For nothing can be like the unlike, and only and One; nor
mayest thou think that he bath given of his Power to any other
thing.

10-46. For who after him can make anything, either of Life, or
Immortality; of Change or of Quality, and himself what other thing
should he make.

10-47. For God is not idle, for then all things would be idle ; for
all things are full of God.

10-48. But there is not anywhere in the world such a thing as
Idleness; for Idleness is a name that implieth a thing void or
empty, both of a Doer and a thing done.

10-49. But all things must necessarily be made or done both always and
according to the nature of every place.

10-50. For he that maketh or doth is in all things, yet not fastened
or comprehended in anything, nor making or doing one thing, but all
things.

10-51. For being an active or operating Power and sufficient of
himself for the things that are made, and the things that are made
are under him.

10-52. Look upon, through me, the World is subject to thy sight, and
understand exactly the Beauty thereof.

10-53. A Body immarcessible, than the which, there is nothing more
ancient, yet always vigorous and young.

10-54. See also the seven Worlds set over us, adorned with an
everlasting Order, and filling Eternity, with a different course.

10-55. For all things are full of Light, but the Fire is nowhere.

10-56. For the friendship and commixture of contraries and unlike
became Light shining from the Act or Operation of God, the Father of
all Good, the Prince of all Order, and the Ruler of the seven
Worlds.

10-57. Look also upon the Moon, the forerunner of them all, the
Instrument of Nature, and which changeth the Matter here below.

10-58. Behold the Earth, the middle of the whole, the firm and stable
Foundation of the Fair World, the Feeder and Nurse of Earthly
things.

10-59. Consider moreover, how great the multitude is of immortal
living things, and of mortal ones also; and see the Moon going about
in the midst of both, to wit, of things immortal and mortal.

10-60. But all things are full of Soul, and all things are properly
moved by it; some things about the Heaven, and some things about the
Earth, and neither of those on the right hand to the left; nor those
on the left hand to the right; nor those things that are above,
down. ward; nor those things that are below, upwards.

10-61. And that all these things are made, O beloved Hermes, thou
needst not learn of me.

10-62. For they are Bodies, and have a Soul, and are moved.

10-63. And that all these should come together into one, it is
impossible without some thing, to gather them together.

10-64. Therefore there must be some such ones, and he altogether One.

10-65. For seeing that the motions are divers, and many, and the
Bodies not alike, and yet one ordered swiftness among them all; It
is impossible there should be two or more Makers.

10-66. For one order is not kept by many.

10-67. But in the weaker, there would be jealousy of the stronger and
thence also Contentions.

10-68. And if there were one Maker of mutable and mortal living
wights, he would desire also to make immortal ones, as he that were
the Maker of immortal ones, would do to make mortal.

10-69. Moreover also, if there were two, the Matter being one, who
should be chief, or have the disposing of the facture?

10-70. Or if both of them, which of them the greater part?

10-71. But think thus that every living Body bath its consistence of
Matter and Soul; and of that which is immortal, and that which is
mortal, and unreasonable.

10-72. For all living Bodies have a Soul; and those things that are
not living are only matter by itself.

10-73. And the Soul likewise of itself drawing near her Maker, is the
Cause of Life and Being and Being the cause of Life, is after a
manner, the cause of immortal things.

10-74. How then are mortal wights, other from immortal?

10-75. Or how cannot he make living wights that causeth immortal
things and immortality ?

10-76. That there is some Body that doth these things it is apparent,
and that he is also one, it is most manifest.

10-77. For there is one Soul, one Life and one Matter.

10-78. Who is this? Who can it be? Other than the One God.

10-79. For whom else can it benefit, to make living things, save only
God alone?

10-80. There is therefore one God.

10-81. For it is a ridiculous thing to confess the World to be one
Sun, one Moon, one Divinity; and yet to have I know not how many
gods.

10-82. He therefore being One, doth all things in many things.

10-83. And what great thing is it for God to make Life and Soul, and
Immortality, and Change, when thy self dost so many things?

10-84. For thou both seest, speakest and hearest, smellest, tastest
and touchest, walkest, understandest, and breathest.

10-85. And it is not one that seeth, and another that heareth, and
another that speaketh, and another that toucheth, and another that
smelleth, and another that walketh, and another that understandeth,
and another that breatheth, but One that doth all these things.

10-86. Yet neither can these things possibly be without God.

10-87. For as thou, if thou shouldst cease from doing these things,
were not a living wight; so if God should cease from those, he were
not (which is not lawful to say) any longer God.

10-88. For if it be already demonstrated, that nothing can be idle or
empty, how much more may be affirmed of God?

10-89. For if there be any thing which he doth not do, then is he (if
it were lawful to say so) imperfect.

10-90. Whereas feeling he is not idle, but perfect, certainly he doth
all things.

10-91. Now give thy self unto me, O Hermes, for a little while thou
shalt the more easily understand, that it is the necessary work of
God that all things should be made or done that are done or were
once done, or shall be done.

10-92. And this, O best Beloved, is life.

10-93. And this is the Fair.

10-94. And this is the Good.

10-95. And this is God.

10-96. And if thou wilt understand this by work also, mark what
happens to thy self, when thou wilt generate.

10-97. And yet this is not like unto him; for he is not sensible of
pleasure, for neither bath he any other Fellow-workman.

10-98. But being himself the only Workman he is always in the Work,
himself being that which he doth or maketh.

10-99. For all things, if they were separated from him, must needs
fall and die, as there being no life in them.

10-100. And again, if all things be living wights, both which are in
Heaven, and upon Earth; and that there be one Life in all things
which are made by God, and that is God, then certainly all things
are made, or done by God.

10-101. Life is the union of the Mind and the Soul.

10-102. But death is not the destruction of those things that were
gathered together, but a dissolving of the Union.

10-103. The Image therefore of God is Eternity, of Eternity the World,
of the World the Sun, of the Sun, Man.

10-104. But the people say, That changing is Death, because the Body
is dissolved, and the Life goeth into that which appeareth not.

10-105. By this discourse, my dearest Hermes, I affirm as thou
hearest, That the World is changed, because every day part thereof
becomes invisible ; but that it is never dissolved.

10-106. And these are the Passions of the World, Revolutions and
Occultations, and Revolution is a turning, but Occultation is
Renovation.

10-107. And the World being all formed, bath not the forms lying
without it, but itself changeth in itself.

10-108. Seeing then the World is all formed, what must he be that made
it? for without form he cannot be.

10-109. And if he be all formed, he will be kept like the World, but
if he have but one form, he shall be in this regard less than the
World.

10-110. What do we then say that he is? we will not raise any doubts
by our speech; for nothing that is doubtful concerning God, is yet
known.

10-111. He hath therefore one Idea which is proper to him, which
because it is unbodily is not subject to the sight, and yet shews
all forms by the Bodies.

10-112. And do not wonder, if there be an incorruptible Idea.

10-113. For they are like the Margents of that Speech which is in
writing; for they seem to be high and swelling, hut they are by
nature smooth and even.

10-114. But understand well this that I say, more boldly, for it is
more true; As a man cannot live without life, so neither can God
live, not doing good.

10-115. For this is, as it were, the Life and Motion of God, to move
all things, and quicken them.

10-116. But some of the things I have said, must have a particular
explication; Understand then what I say.

10-117. All things are in God, not as lying in a place; for Place is
both a Body, and unmoveable, and those things that are there placed,
have no motion.

10-118. For they lie otherwise in that which is unbodily, than in the
fantasy or to appearance.

10-119. Consider him that contains all things, and understand, that
nothing is more capacious, than that which is incorporeal, nothing
more swift, nothing more powerful, but it is most capacious, most
swift and most strong.

10-120. And judge of this by thyself, command thy Soul to go into
India, and sooner than thou canst bid it, it will be there.

10-121. Bid it likewise pass over the Ocean, and suddenly it will be
there; Not as passing from place to place, but suddenly it will be
there.

10-122. Command it to fly into Heaven, and it will need no Wings,
neither shall anything hinder it; not the fire of the Sun, not the
Aether, not the turning of the Spheres, not the bodies of any of the
other Stars, but cutting through all, it will fly up to the last,
and furthest Body.

10-123. And if thou wilt even break the whole, and see those things
that are without the World (if there be any thing without) thou
mayest.

10-124. Behold how great power, how great swiftness thou hast! Canst
thou do all these things, and cannot God?

10-125. After this manner therefore contemplate God to have all the
whole World to himself, as it were all thoughts, or intellections.

10-128. Increase thy self into an immeasurable greatness, leaping
beyond every Body; and transcending all Time, become Eternity and
thou shalt understand God: If thou believe in thyself that nothing
is impossible, but accountest thy self immortal, and that thou canst
understand all things, every Art, every Science and the manner and
custom of every living thing.

10-129. Become higher than all height, lower than all depths,
comprehend in thy self, the qualities of all the Creatures, of the
Fire, the Water, the Dry and Moist; and conceive likewise, that thou
canst at once be everywhere in the Sea, in the Earth.

10-130. Thou shalt at once understand thy self, not yet begotten in
the Womb, young, old, to be dead, the things after death, and all
these together as also times, places, deeds, qualities, quantities,
or else thou canst not yet understand God.

10-131. But if thou shut up thy Soul in the Body and abuse it, and
say, I understand nothing, I can do nothing, I am afraid of the Sea,
I cannot climb up into Heaven, I know not who I am, I cannot tell
what I shall be; what hast thou to do with God; for thou canst
understand none of those Fair and Good things; be a lover of the
Body, and Evil.

10-132. For it is the greatest evil, not to know God.

10-133. But to be able to know and to will, and to hope, is the
straight way, and Divine way, proper to the Good; and it will
everywhere meet thee, and everywhere be seen of thee, plain and
easy, when thou dost not expect or look for it; it will meet thee,
waking, sleeping, sailing, travelling, by night, by day, when thou
speakest, and when thou keepest silence.

10-134. For there is nothing which is not the Image of God.

10-135. And yet thou sayest, God is invisible, but be advised, for who
is more manifest than He.

10-136. For therefore hath he made all things, that thou by all things
mayest see him.

10-137. This is the Good of God, this is his Virtue, to appear, and to
be seen in all things.

10-138. There is nothing invisible, no, not of those things that are
incorporeal.

10-139. The Mind is seen in Understanding, and God is seen in doing or
making.

10-141. Understand in like manner, all other things by thy self, and
thou shalt not be deceived.

Corpus Hermeticum - The Eleventh Book.

Of the Common Mind to Tat.

11-1. The Mind, O Tat, is of the very Essence of God, if yet there be
any Essence of God.

11-2. What kind of Essence that is, he alone knows himself exactly.

11-3. The Mind therefore is not cut off, or divided from the
essentiality of God, but united as the light of the sun.

11-4. And this mind in men, is God, and therefore are some men Divine,
and their Humanity is near Divinity.

11-5. For the good Demon called the Gods immortal men, and men mortal
Gods.

11-6. But in the brute Beasts, or unreasonable living wights, the Mind
is their Nature.

11-7. For where there is a Soul, there is the Mind, as where there is
Life, there is also a Soul.

11-8. In living Creatures therefore, that are without Reason, the Soul
is Life, void of the operations of the Mind.

11-9. For the Mind is the Benefactor of the Souls of men, and worketh
to the proper Good.

11-10. And in unreasonable things it co-operateth with the Nature of
everyone of them, but in men it worketh against their Natures.

11-11. For the Soul being in the Body, is straightway made Evil by
Sorrow, and Grief and Pleasure or Delight.

11-12. For Grief and Pleasure flow like Juices from the compound Body,
whereinto, when the Soul entereth, or descendeth, she is moistened
and tincted with them.

11-13. As many Souls therefore, as the Mind governeth or overruleth,
to them it shows its own Light, resisting their prepossessions or
presumptions.

11-14. As a good Physician grieveth the Body, prepossessed of a
disease, by burning or lancing it for health's sake.

11-15. After the same manner also, the Mind grieveth the Soul, by
drawing it out of Pleasure, from whence every disease of the Soul
proceedeth.

11-16. But the great Disease of the Soul is Atheism because that
opinion followeth to all Evil and no Good.

11-17. Therefore the Mind resisting it procureth Good to the Soul, as
a Physician health to the Body.

11-18. But as many Souls of Men, as do not admit or entertain the Mind
for their Governor, do suffer the same thing that the Soul of
unreasonable living things.

11-19. For the Soul being a Co-operator with them, permits or leaves
them to their concupiscences, whereunto they are carried by the
torrent of their Appetite, and so tend to brutishness.

11-20. And as Brute Beasts, they are angry without reason, and they
desire without reason, and never cease, nor are satisfied with evil.

11-21. For unreasonable Angers and Desires, are the most exceeding
Evils.

11-22. And therefore hath God set the Mind over these, as a Revenger
and Reprover of them.

11-23. Tat. Here, O Father, that discourse of Fate or Destiny which
thou madest to me, is in danger to be overthrown; For if it be fatal
for any man to commit Adultery or Sacrilege or do any evil, he is
punished also, though he of necessity do the work of Fate or
Destiny.

11-24. Hermes. All things, O Son, are the work of Fate, and without
it, can no bodily thing, either Good or Evil, be done.

11-25. For it is decreed by Fate, that he that cloth any evil, should
also suffer for it.

11-26. And therefore he cloth it, that he may suffer that which he
suffereth, because he did it.

11-27. But for the present let alone that speech, concerning Evil and
Fate, for at other times we have spoken of it.

11-28. Now our discourse is about the Mind, and what it can do, and
how it differs, and is in men such a one, but in brute Beasts
changed

11-29. And again, in Brute Beasts it is not beneficial, but in men by
quenching both their Anger and Concupiscences.

11-3o. And of men thou must understand some to be rational or governed
by reason, and some irrational.

11-31. But all men are subject to Fate, and to Generation, and
Changes, for these are the beginning and end of Fate or Destiny.

11-32. And all men suffer those things that are decreed by Fate.

11-33. But rational men, over whom as we said, the Mind bears rule, do
not suffer like unto other men, but being free from viciousness, and
being not evil, they do suffer evil.

11-34. Tat. How sayest thou this again, Father? An Adulterer, is he
not evil? a Murderer, is he not evil? and so all others.

11-35. Hermes. But the rational man, O Son, will not suffer for
Adultery, but as the Adulterer, nor for Murder, but as the Murderer.

11-36. And it is impossible to escape the Quality of Change, as of
Generation, but the Viciousness, he that hath the Mind, may escape.

11-37. And therefore, O Son, I have always heard the good Demon say,
and if he had delivered it in writing, he had much profited all
mankind: For he alone, O Son. as the first born, God, seeing all
things, truly spake Divine words. I have heard him say sometimes,
That all Things are one thing, Especially Intelligible Bodies, or
that all Especially Intelligible Bodies are one.

11-38. We live in Power, in Act and in Eternity.

11-39. Therefore a good Mind, is that which the Soul of him is.

11-40. And if this be so, then no intelligible thing differs from
intelligible things.

11-41. As therefore it is possible, that the Mind, the Prince of all
things; so likewise, that the Soul that is of God, can do whatsoever
it will.

11-42. But understand thou well, for this Discourse I have made to the
question which thou askest of me before, I mean concerning Fate and
the Mind.

11-43. First, if, O Son, thou shalt diligently withdraw thy self from
all Contentious speeches, thou shalt find that in Truth, the Mind,
the Soul of God bears rule over all things, both over Fate and Law
and all other things.

11-44. And nothing is impossible to him, no not of the things that are
of Fate.

11-45. Therefore, though the Soul of man be above it, let it not
neglect the things that happen to be under Fate.

11-46. And these thus far, were the excellent sayings of the good
Demon.

11-48. Thou sayest, that in brute Beasts the Mind worketh or acteth
after the manner of Nature, co-operating also with their (impetus)
inclinations.

11-49. Now the impetuous inclinations of brute Beasts, as I conceive,
are Passions. If therefore the Mind do co-operate with these
impetuous Inclinations, and that they are the Passions in brute
Beasts, certainly the Mind is also a Passion, conforming itself to
Passions.

11-50. Hermes. Well done, Son, thou askest nobly, and yet it is just
that I should answer thee.

11-51. All incorporeal things, O Son, that are in the Body, are
possible, nay, they are properly Passions.

11-52. Everything that moveth is incorporeal; everything that is moved
is a Body, and it is moved into the Bodies by the Mind. Now motion
is Passion, and there they both suffer; as well that which moveth,
as that which is moved, as well that which ruleth, as that which is
ruled.

11-53. But being freed from the Body, it is freed likewise from
Passion.

11-54. But especially, O Son, there is nothing impassible, but all
things are passible.

11-55. But Passion differs from that which is passible, for that
(Passion) acteth but this suffers.

11-56. Bodies also of themselves do act, for either they are
unmovable, or else are moved, and which soever it be, it is a
Passion.

11-57. But incorporeal things do always act, or work, and therefore
they are passible.

11-58. Let not therefore the appellations or names trouble thee, for
Action and Passion are the same thing, but that it is not grievous
to use the more honourable name.

11-59. Tat. O Father. thou has delivered this Discourse most plainly.

11-60. Hermes. Consider this also, O Son, That God hath freely
bestowed upon man, above all other living things, these two, to wit,
Mind and Speech, or Reason, equal to immortality.

11-61. These if any man use, or employ upon what he ought, he shall
differ nothing from the Immortals.

11-62. Yea, rather going out of the Body, he shall be guided and led
by them, both into the Choir and Society of the Gods, and blessed
Ones.

11-63. Tat. Do not other living Creatures use Speech, O Father?

11-64. Hermes. NO, Son, but only Voice; now Speech and Voice do
differ exceeding much; for Speech is common to all men, but Voice is
proper unto every kind of living thing.

11-65. Tat. Yea, but the Speech of men is different. O Father, every
man according to his Nation.

11-66. Hermes. It is true, O Son, they do differ: Yet as man is one
so is Speech one also; and it is interpreted and found the same,
both in Egypt, Persia, and Greece.

11-67. But thou seemest unto me, Son, to be ignorant of the Virtue or
Power, and Greatness of Speech.

11-68. For the blessed God, the good Demon said or commanded the Soul
to be in the Body, the Mind, in the Soul, the Word, or Speech, or
Reason in the Mind, and the Mind in God, and that God is the Father
of them all.

11-69. Therefore the Word is the Image of the Mind, and the Mind of
God, and the Body of the Idea, and the Idea of the Soul.

11-70. Therefore of the Matter, the subtlest or smallest part is Air,
of the Air the Soul, of the Soul the Mind, of the Mind God.

11-71. And God is about all things, and through all things, but the
Mind about the Soul, the Soul about the Air, and the Air about the
Matter.

11-72. But Necessity, and Providence, and Nature, are the Organs or
Instruments of the World, and of the Order of Matter.

11-73. For of those things that are intelligible, every one is but the
Essence of them in Identity.

11-74. But of the Bodies of the whole, or universe, every one is many
things.

11-75: For the Bodies that are put together, and that have, and make
their changes into other, having this Identity, do always save and
preserve the uncorruption of the Identity.

11-76. But in every one of the compound Bodies, there is a number.

11-77. For without number it is impossible there should be consistence
or constitution, or composition, or dissolution.

11-78. But Unities do both beget and increase Numbers, and again being
dissolved, come into themselves.

11-79. And the Matter is One.

11-80. But this whole World, the great God, and the Image of the
Greater, and united unto him, and conserving the Order and Will of
the Father, is the fulness of Life.

11-81. And there is nothing therein, through all the Eternity of the
Revolutions, neither of the whole, nor of the parts which cloth not
live.

11-82. For there is nothing dead, that either hath been, or is, or
shall be in the World.

11-83. For the Father would have it as long as it lasts, to be a
living thing; and therefore it must needs be God also.

11-84, How therefore, O Son, can there be in God, in the Image of the
Universe, in the fulness of Life, any dead things?

11-85. For dying is corruption, and corruption is destruction.

11-86. How then can any part of the incorruptible be corrupted, or of
God be destroyed?

11-87. Tat. Therefore, O Father, do not the living things in the World
die, though they be parts thereof.

11-88. Hermes. Be wary in thy Speech, O Son, and not deceived in the
names of things.

11-89. For they do not die, O Son, but as compound Bodies they are
dissolved.

11-90. But dissolution is not death; and they are dissolved, not that
they may be destroyed, but that they may be made new.

11-91. Tat. What then is the operation of Life? Is it not Motion?

11-92. Hermes. And what is there in the World unmovable? Nothing at
all, O Son.

11-94. Hermes. No, but subject to many motions, though after a manner
it alone be stable.

11-95. What a ridiculous thing it were, that the Nurse of all things
should be unmovable, which beareth and bringeth forth all things.

11-96. For it is impossible, that anything that bringeth forth, should
bring forth without Motion.

11-97. .And a ridiculous question it is, Whether the fourth part of
the whole, be idle: For the word immovable, or without Motion,
signifies nothing else, but idleness.

11-98. Know generally, O Son, That whatsoever is in the World is moved
either according to Augmentation or Diminution.

11-99. But that which is moved, liveth also, yet it is not necessary,
that a living thing should be or continue the same.

11-100. For while the whole World is together, it is unchangeable, O
Son, but all the parts thereof are changeable.

11-101. Yet nothing is corrupted or destroyed, and quite abolished but
the names trouble men.

11-102. For Generation is not Life, but Sense; neither is Change
Death, but Forgetfulness, or rather Occultation, and lying hid. Or
better thus. For Generation is not a Creation of Life, but a
Production of Things to Sense, and making them Manifest. Neither is
Change Death, but an Occultation or Hiding of that which was.

11-103. These things being so, all things are Immortal, Matter, Life,
Spirit, Soul, Mind, whereof every living thing consisteth.

11-104. Every living thing therefore is Immortal, because of the Mind,
but especially Man, who both receiveth God, and converseth with him.

11-105. For with this living wight alone is God familiar; in the night
by dreams, in the day by Symbols or; Signs.

11-106. And by all things cloth he foretell him of things to come, by
Birds, by Fowls, by the Spirit, or Wind, and by an Oak.

11-107. Wherefore also Man professeth to know things that: have been,
things that are present, and things to come.

11-108. Consider this also, O Son, That every living Creature goeth
upon one part of the World, Swimming things in Water, Land wights
upon the Earth, Flying Fowls in the Air.

11-109. But Man useth all these, the Earth, the Water, the Air, and
the Fire, nay, he seeth and toucheth Heaven by his Sense.

11-110. But God is both about all things, and through all things, for
he is both Act and Power.

11-111. And it is no hard thing, O Son, to understand God.

11-112. And if thou wilt also see him, look upon the Necessity of
things that appear, and the Providence of things that have been, and
are done.

11-113. See the Matter being most full of Life, and so great a God
moved with all Good, and Fair, both Gods, and Demons, and Men.

11-114. Tat. But these, O Father, are wholly Acts or Operations.

11-115. Hermes. If they be therefore wholly Acts or Operations, O
Son, by whom are they acted or operated, but by God?

11-116. Or art thou ignorant, that as the parts of the World, are
Heaven, and Earth, and Water, and Air; after the same manner the
Members of God, are Life, and Immortality, and Eternity, and Spirit,
and Necessity, and Providence, and Nature, and Soul, and Mind, and
the Continuance or Perseverance of all these which is called Good.

11-117. And there is not any thing of all that hath been, and al1 that
is, where God is not.

11-118. Tat. What in the Matter, O Father?

11-119. Hermes. The Matter, Son, what is it without God, that thou
shouldst ascribe a proper place to it?

11-120. Or what cost thou think it to be? peradventure some heap that
is not actuated or operated.

11-121. But if it be actuated, by whom is it actuated? for we have
said, that Acts or Operations, are the parts of God.

11-122. By whom are all living things quickened? and the Immortal, by
whom are they immortalized? the things that are changeable, by whom
are they changed?

11-123. Whether thou speak of Matter, or Body, or Essence, know that
all these are acts of God.

11-124. And that the Act of Matter is materiality, and of the Bodies
corporality, and of Essence essentiality; and this is God the whole.

11-125. And in the whole, there is nothing that is not God.

11-126. Wherefore about God, there is neither Greatness, Place,
Quality, Figure, or Time; for he is All, and the All, through all,
and about all.

11-127. This Word, O Son, worship and adore. And the only service of
God, is not to be evil.

Corpus Hermeticum - The Twelfth Book.

His Crater or Monas.

12-1. The Workman made this Universal World, not with his Hands, but
his Word.

12-2. Therefore thus think of him, as present everywhere, and being
always, and making all things, and one above, that by his Will hath
framed the things that are.

12-3. For that is his Body, not tangible, nor visible, nor measurable,
nor extensible, nor like any other body.

12-4. For it is neither Fire, nor Water, nor Air, nor Wind, but all
these things are of him, for being Good, he hath dedicated that name
unto himself alone.

12-5. But he would also adorn the Earth, but with the Ornament of a
Divine Body.

12-6. And he sent Man an Immortal and a Mortal wight.

12-7. And Man had more than all living Creatures, and the World,
because of his Speech, and Mind.

12-8. For Man became the spectator of the Works of God, and wondered,
and acknowledged the Maker.

12-9. For he divided Speech among all men, but not Mind, and yet he
envied not any, for Envy comes not thither, but is of abode here
below in the Souls of men, that have not the Mind.

12-10. Tat. But wherefore, Father, did not God distribute the Mind to
all men?

12-11. Because it pleased him, O Son, to set that in the middle among
all souls as a reward to strive for.

12-12. Tat. And where hath he set it?

12-13. Hermes. Filling a large Cup or Bowl therewith, he sent it
down, giving also a Cryer or Proclaimer.

12-14. And he commanded him to proclaim these things to the souls of
men.

12-15. Dip and wash thyself, thou that art able, in this Cup or Bowl;
Thou that believes", that thou shalt return to him that sent this
Cup; thou that acknowledgest whereunto thou wert made.

12-16. As many therefore as understood the Proclamation, and were
baptised or dowsed into the Mind, these were made partakers of
Knowledge, and became perfect men, receiving the Mind.

12-17. But as many as missed of the Proclamation, they received
Speech, but not Mind, being ignorant whereunto they were made, or by
whom.

12-18. But their senses are just like to brute Beasts, and having
their temper in Anger and Wrath, they do not admire the things
worthy of looking on.

12-19. But wholly addicted to the pleasures and desires of the Bodies,
they believe that man was made for them.

12-20. But as many as partook of the gift of God, these, O Tat, in
comparison of their works, are rather immortal than mortal men.

12-21. Comprehending all things in their Mind, which are upon the
Earth, which are in Heaven, and if there be anything above Heaven.

12-22. And lifting up themselves so high, they see the Good, and
seeing it, they account it a miserable calamity to make their abode
here.

12-23. And despising all things bodily and unbodily, they make haste
to the One and Only.

12-24. Thus, O Tat, is the Knowledge of the Mind, the beholding of
Divine Things, and the Understanding of God, the Cup itself being
Divine.

12-28. Hermes. Because it is impossible, O Son, to be conversant
about things Mortal and Divine.

12-29. For the things that are, being two Bodies, and things
incorporeal, wherein is the Mortal and the Divine, the Election or
Choice of either is left to him that will choose; For no man can
choose both.

12-30. And of which soever the choice is made, the other being
diminished or overcome, magnifieth the act and operation of the
other.

12-31. The choice of the hefter therefore is not only best for him
that chooseth it, by deifying a man; but it also sheweth Piety and
Religion towards God.

12-32. But the choice of the worse destroys a man, but cloth nothing
against God; save that as Pomps or Pageants, when they come abroad,
cannot do any thing themselves, but hinder; after the same manner
also do these make Pomps or Pageants in the World, being seduced by
the pleasures of the Body.

12-33. These things being so, O Tat, that things have been, and are so
plenteously ministered to us from God; let them proceed also from
us, without any scarcity or sparing.

12-34. For God is innocent or guiltless, but we are the causes of
Evil, preferring them before the Good.

12-35. Thou seest, O Son, how many Bodies we must go beyond, and how
many choirs of Demons, and what continuity and courses of Stars,
that we may make haste to the One, and only God.

12-36. For the Good is not to be transcended, it is unbounded and
infinite; unto itself without beginning, but unto us, seeming to
have a beginning, even our knowledge of it.

12-37. For our knowledge is not the beginning of it, but shews us the
beginning of its being known unto us.

12-38. Let us therefore lay hold of the beginning and we shall quickly
go through all things.

12-39. It is indeed a difficult thing, to leave those things that are
accustomable, and present, and turn us to those things that are
ancient, and according to the original.

12-40. For these things that appear, delight us, but make the things
that appear not, hard to believe, or the Things that Appear not, are
Hard to believe.

12-4I. The things most apparent are Evil, but the Good is secret, or
hid in, or to the things that appear for it hath neither Form nor
Figure.

12-42. For this cause it is like to itself, but unlike every thing
else; for it is impossible, that any thing incorporeal, should be
made known, or appear to a Body.

12-43. For this is the difference between the like and the unlike, and
the unlike wanteth always somewhat of the like.

12-44. For the Unity, Beginning, and Root of all things, as being the
Root and Beginning.

12-45. Nothing is without a beginning, but the Beginning is of
nothing, but of itself; for it is the Beginning of all other things.

12-46. Therefore it is, seeing it is not from another beginning.

12-47. Unity therefore being the Beginning, containeth every number,
but itself is contained of none, and begetteth every number, itself
being begotten of no other number.

12-48. Every thing that is begotten (or made) is imperfect, and may be
divided, increased, diminished.

12-49. But to the perfect, there happeneth none of these.

12-50. And that which is increased, is increased by Unity, but is
consumed and vanished through weakness, being not able to receive
the Unity.

12-51. This Image of God, have I described to thee, O Tat, as well as
I could; which if thou do diligently consider, and view by the eyes
of thy mind, and heart, believe me, Son, thou shalt find the way to
the things above, or rather the Image itself will lead thee.

12-52. But the spectacle or sight, hath this peculiar and proper; Them
that can see, and behold it, it holds fast and draws unto it, as
they say, the Loadstone cloth Iron.

Corpus Hermeticum - The Thirteenth Book

Of Sense and Understanding.

13-1. Yesterday, Asclepius, I delivered a perfect Discourse; but now I
think it necessary, in suite of that, to dispute also of Sense.

13-2. For Sense and Understanding seem to differ, because the one is
material, the other essential.

13-3. But unto me, they appear to be both one, or united, and not
divided in men, I mean.

13-4. For in other living Creatures, Sense is united unto Nature but
in men to Understanding.

13-5. But the Mind differs from Understanding, as much as God from
Divinity.

13-6. For Divinity is from or under God, and Understanding from the
Mind, being the sister of the Word or Speech, and they the
Instruments one of another.

13-7. For - neither is the Word pronounced without Understanding,
neither is Understanding manifested without the Word.

13-8. Therefore Sense and Understanding do both flow together into a
man, as if they were infolded one within another.

13-9. For neither is it possible without Sense to Understand, nor can
we have Sense without Understanding.

13-10. And yet it is possible (for the Time being) that the
Understanding may understand without Sense, as they that fantasy
Visions in their Dreams.

13-11. But it seems unto me, that both the operations are in the
Visions of Dreams, and that the Sense is stirred up out of sleep,
unto awaking.

13-12. For man is divided into a Body and a Soul; when both parts of
the Sense accord one with another, then is the understanding
childed, or brought forth by the Mind pronounced.

13-13. For the Mind brings forth all Intellections or Understandings.
Good ones when it receiveth good Seed from God; and the contrary
when it receives them from Devils.

13-14. For there is no part of the World void of the Devil, which
entering in privately, sowed the seed of his own proper operation;
and the Mind did make pregnant, or did bring forth that which was
sown, Adulteries, Murders, Striking of Parents, Sacrileges,
Impieties, Stranglings, throwing down headlong, and all other things
which are the works of evil Demons.

13-15. And the Seeds of God are few but Great, and Fair, and Good
Virtue, and Temperance, and Piety. I6. And the Piety is the
Knowledge of God, whom whosoever knoweth being full of all good
things, hath Divine Understanding and not like the Many.

13-17. And therefore they that have that Knowledge neither please the
multitude, nor the multitude them, but they seem to be mad, and to
move laughter, hated and despised, and many times also murdered.

13-18. For we have already said, That wickedness must dwell here,
being in her own region.

13-19. For her region is the Earth, and not the World, as some will
sometimes say, Blaspheming.

13-20. But the Godly or God-worshipping Man laying hold on Knowledge,
will despise or tread under all these things; for though they be
evil to other men, yet to him all things are good.

13-21. And upon mature consideration, he refers all things to
Knowledge, and that which is most to be wondered at, he alone makes
evil things good.

13-22. But I return again to my Discourse of Sense.

13-23. It is therefore a thing proper to Man, to communicate and
conjoin Sense and Understanding.

13-24. But every man, as I said before, cloth not enjoy Understanding;
for one man is material, another essential.

13-25. And he that is material with wickedness as I said, received
from the Devils the Seed of Understanding; but they that are with
the Good essentially, are saved with God.

13-26. For God is the Workman of all things; and when he worketh he
useth Nature.

13-27. He maketh all things good like himself

13-28. But these things that are made good, are in the use of
Operation, unlawful.

13-29. For the Motion of the World stirring up Generations, makes
Qualities, infecting some with evilness, and purifying some with
good.

13-30 And the World, Asclepius, hath a peculiar Sense and
Understanding, not like to Man's, nor so various or manifold, but a
better and more simple.

13-31. For this Sense and Understanding of the World is One, in that
it makes all things, and unmakes them again into itself; for it is
the Organ or Instrument of the Will of God.

13-32. And it is so organized or framed, and made for an Instrument by
God; that receiving all Seeds into itself from God, and keeping them
in itself, it maketh all things effectually and dissolving them,
reneweth all things.

13-33. And therefore like a good Husband-man of Life, when things are
dissolved or loosened, he affords by the casting of Seed, renovation
to all things that grow.

13-34. There is nothing that it (the World) cloth not beget or bring
forth alive; and by its Motion, it makes all things alive.

13-35. And it is at once, both the Place and the Workman of Life.

13-36. But the Bodies are from the Matter, in a different manner; for
some are of the Earth, some of Water, some of Air, some of Fire, and
all are compounded, but some are more compounded, and some are more
simple.

13-37. They that are compounded, are the heavier, and they that are
less, are the higher.

13-38. And the swiftness of the Motion of the World, makes the
varieties of the Qualities of Generation, for the spiration or
influence, being most frequent, extendeth unto the Bodies qualities
with one fulness, which is of Life.

13-39. Therefore, God is the Father of the World, but the World is the
Father of things in the World.

13-40. And the World is the Son of God, but things in the World are
the Sons of the World.

13-41. And therefore it is well called the World, that is an Ornament,
because it adorneth and beautifieth all things with the variety of
Generation, and indeficiency of Life, which the unweariedness of
Operation, and the swiftness of Necessity with the mingling of
Elements, and the order of things done.

13-42. Therefore it is necessarily and properly called the World.

13-43. For of all living things, both the Sense and the Understanding,
cometh into them from without, inspired by that which compasseth
them about, and continueth them.

13-44. And the World receiving it once from God as soon as it was
made, hath it still, What Ever it Once Had.

13-45. But God is not as it seems to some who Blaspheme through
superstition, without Sense, and without Mind, or Understanding.

13-46. For all things that are, O Asclepius, are in God, and made by
him, and depend of him, some working by Bodies, some moving by a
Soul-like Essence, some quickening by a Spirit, and some receiving
the things that are weary, and all very fitly.

13-47. Or rather, I say, that he hath them not, but I declare the
Truth, He is All Things, not receiving them from without, but
exhibiting them outwardly.

13-48. And this is the Sense and Understanding of God, to move all
things always.

13-49. And there never shall be any time, when any of those things
that are, shall fail or be wanting.

13-50. When I say the things that are, I mean God, for the things that
are, God hash; and neither is there anything without him, nor he
without anything.

13-51. These things, O Asclepius, will appear to be true, if thou
understand them, but if thou understand them not, incredible.

13-52. For to understand, is to believe, but not to believe, is not to
understand; For my speech or words reach not unto the Truth, but the
Mind is great, and being led or conducted for a while by Speech, is
able to attain to the Truth.

13-53. And understanding all things round about, and finding them
consonant, and agreeable to those things that were delivered and
interpreted by Speech, believeth; and in that good belief, resteth.

13-54. To them, therefore, that understand the things that have been
said of God, they are credible, but to them that understand them
not, incredible.

13-55. And let these and thus many things be spoken concerning
Understanding and Sense.

Corpus Hermeticum - The Fourteenth Book

Of Operation and Sense.

14-1. Tat. Thou hast well explained these things, Father: Teach me
furthermore these things; for thou sayest, that Science and Art were
the Operations of the rational, but now thou sayest that Beasts are
unreasonable, and for want of reason, both are and are called
Brutes; so that by this Reason, it must needs follow that
unreasonable Creatures partake not of Science, or Art, because they
come short of Reason.

14-2. Hermes. It must needs be so, Son.

14-3. Tat. Why then, O Father, do we see some unreasonable living
Creatures use both Science and Art? as the Pismires treasure up for
themselves food against the Winter, and Fowls of the Air likewise
make them Nests, and four-footed Beasts know their own Dens.

14-4. These things they do, O Son, not by Science or Art, but by
Nature; for Science or Art are things that are taught, but none of
these brute Beasts are taught any of these things.

14-5. But these things being Natural unto them, are wrought by Nature,
whereas Art and Science do not happen unto all, but unto some.

14-6. As men are Musicians, but not all; neither are all Archers or
Huntsmen, or the rest, but some of them have learned something by
the working of Science or Art.

14-7. After the same manner also, if some Pismires did so, and some
not, thou mightest well say, they gather their food according to
Science and Art.

14-8. But seeing they are all led by Nature, to the same thing, even
against their wills, it is manifest they do not do it by Science or
Art.

14-9. For Operations, O Tat, being unbodily, are in Bodies, and work
by Bodies.

14-10. Wherefore, O Tat, in as much as they are unbodily, thou must
needs say they are immortal.

14-11. But in as much as they cannot act without Bodies, I say, they
are always in a Body.

14-12. For those things that are to any thing, or for the cause of any
thing made subject to Providence or Necessity, cannot possibly
remain idle of their own proper Operation.

14-13. For that which is, shall ever be; for both the Body, and the
Life of it, is the same.

14-14. And by this reason, it follows, that the Bodies also are
always, because I affirm: That this corporiety is always by the Act
and Operation, or for them.

14-15. For although earthly bodies be subject to dissolution; yet
these bodies must be the Places, and the Organs, and Instruments of
Acts or Operations.

14-16. But Acts or Operations are immortal, and that which is
immortal, is always in Act, and therefore also Corporification if it
be always.

14-17. Acts or Operations do follow the Soul, yet come not suddenly or
promiscuously, but some of them come together with being made man,
being about brutish or unreasonable things.

14-18, But the purer Operations do insensibly in the change of time,
work with the oblique part of the Soul.

14-19. And these Operations depend upon Bodies, and truly they that
are Corporifying come from the Divine Bodies into Mortal ones.

14-20. But every one of them acteth both about the Body and the Soul,
and are present with the Soul, even without the Body.

14-21. And they are always Acts or Operations, but the Soul is not
always in a Mortal Body, for it can be without a Body, but Acts or
Operations cannot be without Bodies.

14-22 This is a sacred speech, Son, the Body cannot Consist without a
Soul.

14-23. Tat. How meanest thou that, Father?

14-24. Hermes. Understand it thus, O Tat, When the Soul is separated
from the Body, there remaineth that same Body.

14-25. And this same Body according to the time of its abode, is
actuated or operated in that it is dissolved and becomes invisible.

14-26. And these things the Body cannot suffer without act or
operation, and consequently there remaineth with the Body the same
act or operation.

14-27. This then is the difference between an Immortal Body, and a
Mortal one, that the immortal one consists of one Matter, and so
doth not the mortal one; and the immortal one doth, but this
suffereth.

14-28. And everything that acteth or operateth is stronger, and
ruleth; but that which is actuated or operated, is ruled.

14-29. And that which ruleth, directeth and governeth as free, but the
other is ruled, a servant.

14-30. Acts or Operations do not only actuate or operate living or
breathing or insouled Bodies, but also breathless Bodies, or without
Souls, Wood, and Stones, and such like, increasing and hearing
fruit, ripening, corrupting, rotting, putrifying and breaking, or
working such like things, and whatsoever inanimate Bodies can
suffer.

14-31. Act or Operation, O Son, is called, whatsoever is, or is made
or done, and there are always many things made, or rather all
things.

14-32 For the World is never widowed or forsaken of any of those things
that are, but being always carried or moved in itself, it is in
labour to bring forth the things that are, which shall never be left
by it to corruption.

14-33. Let therefore every act or operation be understood to be always
immortal, in what manner of Body soever it be.

14-34. But some Acts or Operations be of Divine, some of corruptible
Bodies, some universal, some peculiar, and some of the generals, and
some of the parts of every thing.

14-35. Divine Acts or Operations therefore there be, and such as work
or operate upon their proper Bodies, and these also are perfect, and
being upon or in perfect Bodies.

14-36. Particular are they which work by any of the living Creatures.

14-37. Proper, be they that work upon any of the things that are.

14-38. By this Discourse, therefore, O Son, it is gathered that all
things are full of Acts or Operations.

14-39. For if necessarily they be in every Body, and that there be
many Bodies in the World, I may very well affirm, that there be many
other Acts or Operations.

14-40. For many times in one Body, there is one, and a second, and a
third, besides these universal ones that follow.

14-41. And universal Operations, I call them that are indeed bodily,
and are done by the Senses and Motions.

14-42. For without these it is impossible that the Body should
consist.

14-43. But other Operations are proper to the Souls of Men, by Arts,
Sciences, Studies, and Actions.

14-44. The Senses also follow these Operations, or rather are the
effects or perfections of them.

14-45, Understand therefore, O Son, the difference of Operations, it is
sent from above.

14-46. But sense being in the Body, and having its essence from it,
when it receiveth Act or Operation, manifesteth it, making it as it
were corporeal.

14-47. Therefore, I say, that the Senses are both corporeal and
mortal, having so much existence as the Body, for they are born with
the Body, and die with it.

14-48. But mortal things themselves have not Sense, as Not consisting
of such an Essence.

14-49. For Sense can be no other than a corporeal apprehension, either
of evil or good that comes to the Body.

14-50. But to Eternal Bodies there is nothing comes, nothing departs;
therefore there is no sense in them.

14-51. Tat. Doth the Sense therefore perceive or apprehend in every
Body.

14-52. Hermes. In every Body, O Son.

14-53. Tat. And do the Acts or Operations work in all things?

14-54. Hermes. Even in things inanimate, O Son, but there are
differences of Senses.

14-55. For the Senses of things rational, are with Reason; of things
unreasonable, Corporeal only, but the Senses of things inanimate are
passive only, according to Augmentation and Diminution.

14-56. But Passion and Sense depend both upon one head, or height, and
are gathered together into the same, by Acts or Operations.

14-57. But in living wights there be two other Operations that follow
the Senses and Passions, to wit, Grief and Pleasure.

14-58. And without these, it is impossible that a living wight,
especially a reasonable one, should perceive or apprehend.

14-59. And therefore, I say, that these are the Ideas of Passions that
bear rule, especially in reasonable living wights.

14-60. The Operations work indeed, but the Senses do declare and
manifest the Operations, and they being bodily, are moved by the
brutish parts of the Soul therefore I say, they are both maleficial
or doers of evil.

14-61. For that which affords the Sense to rejoice with Pleasure is
straightway the cause of many evils happening to him that suffers
it.

14-62. But Sorrows gives stronger torments and Anguish, therefore
doubtless are they both maleficial.

14-63. The same may be said of the Sense of the Soul.

14-64. Tat. Is not the Soul incorporeal, and the Sense a Body, Father?
or is it rather in the Body.

14-65. Hermes. If we put it in a Body, O Son, we shall make it like
the Soul or the Operations, for these being unbodily, we say are in
Bodies.

14-66. But Sense is neither Operation, nor Soul, nor anything else
that belongs to the Body, but as we have said, and therefore it is
not incorporeal.

14-67. And if it be not incorporeal it must needs be a Body; for we
always say, that of things that are, some are Bodies and some
incorporeal.

Corpus Hermeticum - The Fifteenth Book

Of Truth to His Son Tat.

15-1. Hermes. Of Truth, O Tat, it is not possible that man being an
imperfect wight, compounded of imperfect Members, and having his
Tabernacle consisting of different and many Bodies, should speak
with any confidence.

15-2. But as far as it is possible, and just, I say, That Truth is
only in the Eternal Bodies, whose very Bodies be also true.

15-3. The Fire is fire itself only, and nothing else; the Earth is
earth itself and nothing else; the air is air itself and nothing
else; the water, water itself and nothing else.

15-4. But our Bodies consist of all these; for they have of the Fire,
they have of the Earth, they have of the Water, and Air, and yet
there is neither Fire, nor Earth, nor Water, nor Air, nor anything
true.

15-5. And if at the Beginning our Constitution had not Truth, how
could men either see the Truth, or speak it, or understand it only,
except God would?

15-6. All things therefore upon Earth, O Tat, are not Truth, but
imitations of the Truth, and yet not all things neither, for they
are but few that are so.

15-7. But the other things are Falsehood, and Deceit, O Tat, and
Opinions like the Images of the fantasy or appearance.

15-8. And when the fantasy hath an influence from above, then it is an
imitation of Truth, but without that operation from above, it is
left a lie.

15-9. And as an Image shews the Body described, and yet is not the
Body of that which is seen, as it seems to be, and it is seen to
have eyes, but it sees nothing, and ears, but hears nothing at all;
and all other things hath the picture, but they are false, deceiving
the eyes of the beholder, whilst they think they see the Truth, and
yet they are indeed but lies.

15-10. As many therefore as see not Falsehood, see the Truth.

15-11. If therefore we do so understand, and see every one of these
things as it is, then we see and understand true things.

15-12. But if we see or understand any thing besides or otherwise than
that which is, we shall neither understand, nor know the Truth.

15-13. Tat. Is Truth therefore upon Earth, O Father?

15-14. Hermes. Thou cost not miss the mark, O Son. Truth indeed is
nowhere at all upon Earth, O Tat, for it cannot be generated or
made.

15-15. But concerning the Truth, it may be that some men, to whom God
will give the good seeing Power, may understand it.

15-16. So that unto the Mind and reason, there is nothing true indeed
upon Earth.

15-17. But unto the True Mind and Reason, all things are fantasies or
appearances, and op1nions.

15-18. Tat. Must we not therefore call it Truth, to understand and
speak the things that are?

15-19. Hermes. But there is nothing true upon Earth.

15-20. Tat. How then is this true, That we do not know anything true?
how can that be done here?

15-21. Hermes. O Son, Truth is the most perfect Virtue, and the
highest Good itself, not troubled by Matter, not encompassed by a
Body, naked, clear, unchangeable, venerable, unalterable Good.

15-22 But the things that are here, O Son, are visible, incapable of
Good, corruptible, passible, dissolvable, changeable, continually
altered, and made of another.

15-23. The things therefore that are not true to themselves, how can
they be true?

15-24. For every thing that is altered, is a lie, not abiding in what
it is; but being changed it shews us always, other and other
appearances.

15-25. Tat. Is not man true, O Father?

15-26. Hermes. AS far forth as he is a Man, he is not true, Son; for
that which is true, hath of itself alone its constitution and
remains, and abides according to itself, such as it is.

15-27. But man consists of many things and doth not abide of himself
but is turned and changed, age after age, Idea after Idea, or form
after form, and this while he is yet in the Tabernacle.

15-28. And many have not known their own children after a little
while, and many children likewise have not known their own Parents.

15-29. Is it then possible, O Tat, that he who is so changed, is not
to be known, should be true? No, on the contrary, he is Falsehood,
being in many Appearances of changes.

15-30. But do thou understand the true to be that which abides the
same, and is Eternal, but man is not ever, therefore not True, but
man is a certain Appearance, and Appearance is the highest Lie or
Falsehood.

15-31. Tat. But these Eternal Bodies, Father, are they not true though
they be changed?

15-32. Hermes. Everything that is begotten or made, and changed is
not true, but being made by our Progenitor, they might have had true
Matter.

15-33. But these also have in themselves, something that is false in
regard of their change.

15-34. For nothing that remains not in itself, is True.

15-35. Tat. What shall one say then, Father, that only the Sun which
besides the Nature of other things, is not changed, but abides in
itself, is Truth?

15-36. Hermes. It is Truth, and therefore is he only intrusted with
the Workmanship of the World, ruling and making all things whom I do
both honour, and adore his Truth; and after the One, and First, I
acknowledge him the Workman.

15-37. Tat. What therefore doth thou affirm to be the first Truth, O
Father?

15-38. Hermes. The One and Only, O Tat, that is not of Matter, that
is not in a body, that is without Colour, without Figure or Shape,
Immutable, Unalterable, which always is; but Falsehood, O Son, is
corrupted.

15-39. And corruption hath laid hold upon all things on Earth, and the
Providence of the True encompasseth, and will encompass them.

15-40. For without corruption, there can no Generation consist.

15-41. For Corruption followeth every Generation, that it may again be
generated.

15-42. For those things that are generated, must of necessity be
generated of those things that are corrupted, and the things
generated must needs be corrupted, that the Generation of things
being, may not stand still or cease.

15-43. Acknowledge therefore the first Workman by the Generation of
things.

15-44. Consequently the things that are generated of Corruption are
false, as being sometimes one thing, sometimes another: For it is
impossible they should be made the same things again, and that which
is not the same, how is it true?

15-45. Therefore, O Son, we must call these things fantasies or
appearances.

15-46. And if we will give a man his right name, we must call him the
appearance of Manhood; and a Child, the fantasy or appearance of a
Child; an old man, the appearance of an old man; a young man, the
appearance of a young man; and a man of ripe age, the appearance of
a man of ripe age.

15-47. For neither is a man, a man; nor a child, a child; nor a young
man, a young man; nor an old man, an old man.

15-48 But the things that pre-exist and that are, being changed are
false.

15-49. These things understand thus, O Son, as these false Operations,
having their dependence from above, even of the truth itself.

15-50. Which being so, I do affirm that Falsehood is the Work of
Truth.

Corpus Hermeticum - The Sixteenth Book

That None of the Things that are, can Perish.

16-1. Hermes. We must now speak of the Soul and Body, O Son; after
what manner the Soul is Immortal, and what operation that is, which
constitutes the Body, and dissolves it.

16-2. But in none of these is Death, for it is a conception of a name,
which is either an empty word, or else it is wrongly called Death
(by the taking away the first letter,) instead of Immortal.
[Thanatos for Athanatos.]

16-3. For Death is destruction, but there is nothing in the whole
world that is destroyed.

16-4. For if the World be a second God, and an Immortal living Wight,
it is impossible that any part of an Immortal living Wight should
die.

16-5. But all things that are in the World, are members of the World,
especially Man, the reasonable living Wight.

16-6. For the first of all is God, the Eternal and Unmade, and the
Workman of all things.

16-7. The second is the World, made by him, after his own Image and by
him holden together, and nourished, and immortalized; and as from
its own Father, ever living.

16-8. So that as Immortal, it is ever living, and ever immortal.

16-9. For that which is ever living, differs from that which is
eternal.

16-10. For the Eternal was not begotten, or made by another; and if it
were begotten or made, yet it was made by itself, not by any other,
but it is always made.

16-11. For the Eternal, as it is Eternal, is the Universe.

16-12. For the Father himself, is Eternal of himself, but the World
was made by the Father, ever living and immortal.

16-13. And as much Matter as there was laid up by him, the Father made
it all into a Body, and swelling it, made it round like a Sphere,
endued it with Quality, being itself immortal, and having Eternal
Materiality.

16-14. The Father being full of Ideas, sowed Qualities in the Sphere,
and shut them up, as in a Circle, deliberating to beautify with
every Quality, that which should afterwards be made.

16-15. Then clothing the Universal Body with Immortality, lest the
Matter, if it would depart from this Composition, should be
dissolved into its own disorder.

16-16. For when the Matter was incorporeal, O Son, it was disordered,
and it hath here the same confusion daily revolved about other
little things, endued with Qualities, in point of Augmentation, and
Diminution, which men call Death, being indeed a disorder happening
about earthly living wights.

16-17. For the Bodies of Heavenly things have one order, which they
have received from the Father at the Beginning, and is by the
instauration of each of them, kept indissolveable.

16-18. But the instauration of earthly Bodies, is their consistence;
and their dissolution restores them into indissoluble, that is,
Immortal.

16-19. And so there is made a privation of Sense, but not a
destruction of Bodies.

16-20. Now the third living wight is Man, made after the Image of the
World; and having by the Will of the Father, a Mind above other
earthly wights.

16-21. And he hath not only a sympathy with the second God, but also
an understanding of the first.

16-22. For the second God, he apprehends as a Body but the first, he
understands as Incorporeal, and the Mind of the Good.

16-23. Tat. And doth not this living Wight perish?

16-24. Hermes. Speak advisedly, O Son, and learn what God is, what
the World, what an Immortal Wight, and what a dissolvable One is.

16-25. And understand that the World is of God and in God; but Man of
the World and in the World.

16-26. The Beginning, and End, and Consistence of all, is God. Corpus
Hermeticum - Book 17.

Corpus Hermeticum - The Seventeenth Book

To Asclepius, to be Truly Wise.

17-1. Because my Son Tat, in thy absence, would needs learn the Nature
of the things that are: He would not suffer me to give over (as
coming very young to the knowledge of every individual) till I was
forced to discourse to him many things at large, that his
contemplation might from point to point, be more easy and
successful.

17-2. But to thee I have thought good to write in few words, choosing
out the principal heads of the things then spoken, and to interpret
them more mystically, because thou hast, both more years, and more
knowledge of Nature.

17-3. All things that appear, were made, and are made.

17-4. Those things that are made, are not made by themselves, but by
another.

17-5. And there are many things made, but especially all things that
appear, and which are different, and not like.

17-6. If the things that be made and done, be made and done by
another, there must be one that must make, and do them; and he
unmade, and more ancient than the things that are made.

17-7. For I affirm the things that are made, to be made by another;
and it is impossible, that of the things that are made any should be
more ancient than all, but only that which is not made.

17-8. He is stronger, and One, and only knowing all things indeed, as
not having any thing more ancient than himself.

17-9. For he bears rule, both over multitude, and greatness, and the
diversity of the things that are made, and the continuity of the
Facture and of the Operation.

17-10. Moreover, the things that are made, are visible, but he is
invisible; and for this cause, he maketh them, that he may be
visible; and therefore he makes them always.

17-11. Thus it is fit to understand and understanding to admire and
admiring to think thy self happy, that knowest thy natural Father.

17-12. For what is sweeter than a Natural Father?

17-13. Who therefore is this, or how shall we know him?

17-14. Or is it just to ascribe unto him alone, the Title and
Appellation of God, or of the Maker, or of the Father, or of all
Three? That of God because of his Power; the Maker because of his
Working and Operation; and the Father, because of his Goodness.

17-15. For Power is different from the things that are made, but Act
or Operation, in that all things are made.

17-16. Wherefore, letting go all much and vain talking, we must
understand these two things, That Which is Made, and Him Which is
the Maker; for there is nothing in the middle, between these Two,
nor is there any third.

17-17. Therefore understanding All things, remember these Two; and
think that these are All things, putting nothing into doubt; neither
of the things above, nor of the things below; neither of things
changeable, nor things that are in darkness or secret.

17-18. For All things, are but two Things, That which Maketh, and that
which is Made, and the One of them cannot depart, or be divided from
the Other.

17-19. For neither is it possible that the maker should be without the
thing made, for either of them is the self-same thing; therefore
cannot the One of them be separated from the other, no more than a
thing can be separated from itself.

17-20. For if he that makes be nothing else, but that which makes
alone, Simple, Uncompounded, it is of necessity, that he makes the
same thing to himself, to whom it is the Generation of him that
maketh to be also All that is made.

17-21. For that which is generated or made, must necessarily be
generated or made by another, but without the Maker that which is
made, neither is made, nor is; for the one of them without the
other, hath lost his proper Nature by the privation of the other.

17-22. So if these Two be confessed, That which maketh, and that which
is made, then they are One in Union, this going before, and that
following.

17-23. And that which goeth before, is, God the Maker, and that which
follows is, that which is made, be it what it will.

17-24. And let no man be afraid because of the variety of things that
are made or done, lest he should cast an aspersion of baseness, or
infamy upon God, for it is the only Glory of him to do, or make All
things.

17-25. And this making, or facture is as it were the Body of God, and
to him that maketh or doth, there is nothing evil, or filthy to be
imputed, or There is Nothing thought Evil or Filthy.

17-26. For these are Passions that follow Generation as Rust doth
Copper, or as Excrements do the Body.

17-27. But neither did the Copper-smith make the Rust, nor the Maker
the Filth, nor God the Evilness.

17-28. But the vicissitude of Generation doth make them, as it were to
blossom out; and for this cause did make Change to be, as one should
say, The Purgation of Generation.

17-29. Moreover, is it lawful for the same Painter to make both
Heaven, and the Gods, and the Earth, and the Sea, and Men, and brute
Beasts, and inanimate Things, and Trees; and is it impossible for
God to make these things? O the great madness, and ignorance of men
in things that concern God!

17-30. For men that think so, suffer that which is most ridiculous of
all; for professing to bless and praise God yet in not ascribing to
him the making or doing of All things, they know him not.

17-31. And besides their not knowing him, they are extremely impious
against him, attributing unto him Passions, as Pride, or Oversight,
or Weakness, or Ignorance, or Envy.

17-32. For if he do not make or do all things, he is either proud or
not able, or ignorant, or envious, which is impious to affirm.

17-33. For God hath only one Passion, namely Good and he that is good
is neither proud, nor impotent, nor the rest, but God is Good
itself.

17-34. For Good is all power, to do or make all things, and every
thing that is made, is made by God, that is by the Good and that can
make or do all things.

17-35. See then how he maketh all things, and how the things are done,
that are done, and if thou wilt learn, thou mayest see an Image
thereof, very beautiful, and like.

17-36. Look upon the Husbandman, how he casteth Seeds into the Earth,
here Wheat, there Barley, and elsewhere some other Seeds.

17-37. Look upon the same Man, planting a Vine, or an Apple-Tree, or a
Fig-Tree, or some other Tree.

17-38. So doth God in Heaven sow Immortality, in the Earth Change in
the whole Life, and Motion.

17-39. And these things are not many, but few, and easily numbered for
they are all but four, God and Generation, in which are all things.